THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


KM^WUi^M^ 


THE 


^    STAES  AND  BARS; 


OR, 


THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR  IN  MISSOURI, 


BY 

ISAAC    KELSO, 

OF  PLATTE  CITY,  MO. 


Sail  on,  O  Union,  strong  and  great: 
Humanity,  with  all  its  fears, 
With  all  its  hopes  of  future  years, 

Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate. 


BOSTON: 

^.     T^ILLI^MIS      Sc      CO., 

100  Washington  Steeet. 
1863. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18G3,  by 
ISAAC    KELSO, 
In  the  Clerk's  Oflace  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


OKO.    C.    BAND    &    ATEET, 
STtKEOTTPEES    AXD    PEtNTEKS. 


S'o  the 

Gallant  Soldiers  of  our  Loyal  Army, 

who, 

in  the  defence  of  the  G-ovemment,  and  for  the  (Preservation  of 
OTTIt    GIjOMIOTTS    TTNION, 

have  bravely  followed  the  Btars  and  Stripes  over  ensanguined 

plains  and  through  storms  of  iron  hail, 

and 

To  the  self-sacrificing  Patriots  of  the  land  everywIierCf 

9!'his  "Worh  is  most  respeGtfully  (X>edioated  hy 
THE  jiUTHOIt. 


602986 


PREFACE. 


^^■fo)  HE  first  draft  of  what  is  here  oJSered  to  the  read- 
ing public  was  sketched  amid  the  whirlwinds  of 
civil  war,  and  while  encompassed  by  the  most 
exciting  scenes  and  circumstances  of  violence, 
conspiracies,  and  sanguinary  strife.  It  claims  to 
be,  for  the  most  part,  but  a  plain,  unvarnished 
story  of  what  happened  under  the  author's  own  observa- 
tion, during  a  reign  of  terror  which  has  scarcely  had  a 
parallel  in  the  history  of  our  race. 

It  is  hoped  the  courteous  reader  will  not  mistake  the 
production  for  a  work  of  imagination ;  the  author  is  free 
to  admit,  however,  that,  in  some  cases,  he  has  used  fic- 
titious names;  and,  also, that  the  conversations, dialogues, 
and  soliloquies  introduced  more  or  less  throughout  the 
work  are,  in  part  at  least,  supposed.  But  no  further  than 
this  has  he  used  the  guise  of  fiction,  or  essayed  to  idealize 
his  subject;  for  we  have  come  upon  times  when,  of  a 
truth,  it  may  be  said  that  "  fact  is  stranger  than  fiction." 
For  the  marvellous,  the  wild,  the  thrilling,  we  no  longer 
need  to  draw  upon  fancy ;  reality,  now,  exceeds  the 
most  highly-wrought  creations  of  imagination,  transcends 
the  most  startliuGr  coinaije  of  the  brain. 

While  the  author  has  been  solicitous  to  paint  vividly 
and  lirdike,  yet  he  must  insist  that  his  picture  is  by  no 
means  overdrawn,  or  highly  colored.     The  incidents  re- 

1*  V 


VI  PREFACE. 

latecl,  the  e^^nts  and  characters  brought  forward,  are  realy 
and  intended,  without  contributing  aught  to  prejudice 
and  passion,  to  make  a  fair  and  truthful  impression  on  the 
candid  mind. 

Should  there  be  found,  here  and  there,  a  passage  that 
savors  of  acrimony,  or  betrays  a  spirit  of  vindictiveness, 
the  indulgent  reader  will  please  bear  in  mind  that  the 
writer  has  had  an  interior  view  of  the  rebellion,  and 
passed  through  an  ordeal  well  calculated  to  set  any  frail  ^ 
mortal's  blood  on  fire.  For,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
trouble,  and  long  before  the  Federal  Government  had 
given  the  slightest  protection  to  loyal  citizens  anywliere 
in  the  Southwest,  he  was  constantly  suiTounded  by  law- 
less men,  plotting  traitors,  and  assassins,  who,  like  blood- 
hounds, were  ready  to  hunt  down,  rob,  or  murder,  their 
patriotic  neighbors. 

Regarding  the  present  conflict  as  a  death-struggle  be- 
tween civilization  and  barbarism,  liberty  and  slavery, 
loyalty  and  treason ;  and  convinced  that  the  great  body 
of  the  Xorthern  people  have  no  adequate  conception  of 
the  actual  state  of  things  at  the  South  ;  and  persuaded, 
also,  that  there  is  an  apathy  at  the  Xorth,  from  which  pa- 
triots need  to  be  awakened  at  such  a  time  of  peril  to  the 
country,  it  is  deemed  at  least  pertinent  to  hold  the  mirror 
up  to  reality,  and  lift  the  curtain  behind  which  the  most 
shocking  tragedies  have  been  enacted,  and  in  the  shadow 
5f  which  disloyal  men,  still  skulk  and  traitors  hide  them- 
selves. 

The  humble  volume  here  respectfully  submitted  to  the 
public  is  designed,  without  ostentation  or  pretension,  to 
put  a  candle  in  every  honest  man's  hand  who  needs  more 
light  on  a  subject  confessedly  of  absorbing  interest  to 
us  all.  I.   K. 


THE  STAES  AND  BARS. 


CHAPTER    I. 


"  Breathes  there  a  man  with  soul  so  dead, 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said, 
This  is  my  own,  my  native  hind  ?  " 


^T  was  in  the  hill-country  of  North- 
western Arkansas,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1861,  Twilight  was  deepening 
into  darkness.  The  loud  shout  of 
the  guerrilla  chief  to  his  scattered 
)%  band,  and  the  distant  clatter  of 
iron  hoofs  uj)on  the  rocky  hill,  had 
just  died  away  on  the  dusky  air,  Adrian  Mal- 
vin,  a  youth  of  scarce  eighteen  summers,  odious 
in  the  eyes  of  disloyal  men  and  traitors  on  ac- 
count of  his  unswerving  adherence  to  the  cause 
of  the  Union,  and  hunted  like  a  wolf  from  forest 
to  plain,  from  hill-top  to  valley,  stood  trembling 


8  THE   STARS   AND   BARS; 

in  a  gloomy  dell,  where  he  had  sought  shelter 
from  the  red-handed  vandals  \Yho  clamored  for 
his  blood. 

Though  hard  pressed  in  his  flight,  he  had 
managed  to  elude  pursuit  amid  the  mazes  of 
the  rooky  wood  and  tangled  copse  into  which 
he  had  plunged. 

The  baffled  banditti,  despairing  of  accom- 
plishing their  diabolical  purpose  and  murderous 
designs,  had  abandoned  the  chase,  leaving  the 
persecuted  patriot  to  the  quietude  of  the  lonely 
forest  and  the  solemn  darkness  of  the  night. 

Malvin  was  a  young  man  of  limited  expe- 
rience,—  knew  but  little  of  the  world,  and  al- 
most nothing  of  life's  trials,  buffets,  and  conflicts, 
and  still  less  of  the  treachery,  baseness,  and  bru- 
tality which  lurk  in  the  hearts  of  bad  men. 

Although  reared  in  the  midst  of  a  commu- 
nity  made  up,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  baser 
sort,  he  had  no  conception  of  the  terrible  de- 
pravity of  men  whose  consciences  were  seared, 
and  whose  lives  were  wholly  given  up  to  crime. 

Surroundings  and  associations,  doubtless,  have 
much  to  do  in  forming  the  characters  of  men ; 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  9 

yet  men  are  not  all  the  same  under  the  same 
circumstances.  The  mflaences  of  society,  of 
scenery,  and  of  example,  brought  to  bear  on  the 
human  mind  and  heart,  though  potent,  are  by 
no  means  omnipotent. 

Malvin  had  been  taught  that  slavery  was  a 
divine  institution,  and  that  the  colored  race  had 
no  rights  which  a  white  man  was  bound  to  re- 
spect ;  yet  his  own  heart  told  him  that  oppres- 
sion was  a  crime.  Vice  in  every  form  prevailed 
around  him,  and  scenes  of  cruelty  and  injustice 
were  constantly  before  his  eyes  ;  yet  he  main- 
tained an  upright  walk  and  spotless  reputation, 
and  unfolded  his  faculties,  moral  and  intellect- 
ual, in  rare  harmony,  beauty,  and  purity. 

Unsophisticated,  guileless,  and  open-hearted, 
he  was  ever  frank  in  the  expression  of  his 
opinions,  and  hesitated  not,  on  any  subject,  to 
state  his  honest  convictions ;  and  when  the 
madness  of  secession  came  up,  he  stopped  not 
to  consider  consequences  or  to  count  the  cost, 
but  with  all  the  zeal  and  energy  of  his  ardent 
soul  opposed  and  denounced  it.  He  had  yet  to 
learn   that   all   were  not   men    that   wore   the 


10  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

hanian  form.  It  is  hard  for  a  generous  min(]  to 
believe  others  treacherous.  Malvin  was  unsus- 
pecting ;  nor  would  he  admit  that  men  could 
be  so  base,  till  the  unwelcome  conviction  forced 
itself  upon  him.  Soon  as  the  work  of  rebelhon 
began,  he  found  to  his  cost  that  the  tiger  was 
unchained ;  and  that  multitudes  he  had  been 
accustomed  to  look  upon  as  men  were  being 
transformed,  as  by  magic,  into  demons. 

A  new  phase  of  depraved  human  nature,  to 

his  great  surprise,  now  met  his  gaze,  filling  his 

heart  with  unutterable  sadness,  and  causing  wild, 

'  strange  thoughts  to  sweep  across  his  bewildered 

brain. 

"  Oh,  God !  "  exclaimed  he,  in  the  bitter  an- 
guish of  his  soul,  "  has  it  come  to  this,  —  that 
loyalty  is  reckoned  a  crime  ?  —  and  that  an 
American  citizen,  for  his  poUtical  opinions,  is 
thus  persecuted,  driven  from  his  home,  and 
hunted  like  a  wild  beast?  Alas,  that  I  have 
lived  to  see  this  evil  day !  "    . 

The  eruption,  the  worse  than  volcanic  erup- 
tion, which  began  with  such  violence,  betokened 
the  speedy  overthrow  of  all  law  and  order,  — 


on,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  11 

the  breaking  up  of  society,  and  utter  ruia  to 
the  country  !  What  a  shadow  fell  upon  young 
Malvin's  heart  and  hopes  ! 

As  Night  gathered  her  sable  curtains  more 
closely  about  him,  he  gave  his  mind  to  sad  re- 
flections upon  his  forlorn  condition  and  the 
fiendish  persecution  he  was  suffering.  In  the 
midst  of  his  melancholy  meditations,  he  was 
startled  all  at  once  by  a  gang  of  wolves,  that, 
from  the  depths  of  the  dark  forest,  set  up  a 
doleful  howlino;. 

"  Welcome  !  "  cried  Malvin,  after  a  moment's 
reflection,  "  thrice  welcome,  ye  wild  beasts  of 
prey,  whose  nature  it  is  to  howl  and  prowl.  I 
hail  you  as  companions  and  friends,  in  prefer- 
ence to  my  fellow-men !  Welcome  to  this 
dreary  wild  !  where,  alike,  we  woo  the  darkness 
and  the  gloom,  to  find  refuge  from  the  cruelty 
of  human  beasts  and  helhsh  monsters  in  the 
shape  of  men  !  " 

Now,  from  a  neighboring  tree,  hard  by,  a  hoot- 
ing owl  joined  in  the  dismal  chorus,  as  if  to 
make  the  gi  im  night  and  lonely  glen  still  more 
hideous. 


12  THE  STATtS    ASD   BAES  ; 

"  Apd  welcome  to  the  voice  of  the  night- 
owl  !  "  said  Ma : vin  ;  "  thy  harshest  note  is  music 
to  my  ear,  compared  to  the  horrid  oaths,  the 
taunts  and  gibes,  the  proflxne  and  vulgar  jests, 
of  the  cut-throat  clans  that  infest  this  God-for- 
saken land!  " 

It  may  be  here  remarked,  that  the  conduct 
of  the  desperadoes  in  the  Southwest,  wdio  were 
then  plundering  the  country,  maltreating  peace- 
able citizens,  and  murdering  loyal  men,  was  the 
more  unpardonable  and  outrageous,  inasmuch 
as  there  had  yet  been  no  invasion  from  the 
North  of  which  to  complain.  Nor  had  the  Fed- 
eral Government,  up  to  that  period,  taken  a 
single  step  toward  sending  an  armed  force  mto 
the  country. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  by  the  way,  that  the 
most  appalling  scenes  enacted,  and  the  most 
revolting  pictures  of  violence  and  bloodshed, 
which  the  eyes  of  men  have  looked  upon  since 
the  inauguration  of  civil  war  in  our  unhappy 
country,  transpired,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  be- 
fore there  were  any  organized  armies  in  the 
field  on  either  side. 


OR^   TFIE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  13 

It  may  be  further  stated,  in  this  connection, 
and  in  strict  fidehty  to  trnth,  that  before  the 
present  administration  came  into  power,  even 
prior  to  the  presidential  election,  and  on  the  day 
of  the  election,  many  a  poor  German  was  mur- 
dered in  cold  blood,  by  the  brutal  mob,  for  his 
political  predilections  and  anti-slavery  proclivi- 
ties; and  the  civil  authorities  and  officers  of 
the  law  connived  at  it.  In  this  villany,  the 
complicity  of  the  jDro-slavery  clergij  should  not 
be  overlooked,  especially  the  clergy  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  South.  These  Eeverend 
traitors  did  more  than  any  other  class  of  men  to 
encourage  intolerance,  foster  a  mobocratic  spirit, 
and  brin<:>:  about  a  recklessness,  the  lesritimate 
fruits  of  which  were  to  barbarize  the  community, 
and  turn  loose  upon  the  country  hordes  of  rob- 
bers, incendiaries,  and  assassins  !  For  the  credit 
of  relic>:ion,  this  diso-race  mio:ht  be  left  unre- 
corded,  did  not  patriotism  and  the  exigency  of 
the  times  require  that  disloj^al  men  should 
everywhere  be  marJced,  —  especially  at  such  a 
time  of  peril  as  this,  when  we  are  in  the  midst 
of  the  most  fearfid  revolution  that  ever  black- 


14  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

ened  the  political  heavens  of  any  nation.  Than 
the  clergy,  no  recreant  wretches  in  E-ebeldoni 
have  been  more  rabid,  lawless,  and  blood-thirsty. 
The  preachers  of  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  with 
here  and  there  a  rare  exception,  were  regular 
iire-eaters ;  they  out-heroded  Herod,  and  left 
in  the  shade  even  the  loud-mouthed  dema- 
gogue, the  black-hearted  kidnappers,  and  soul- 
less slave-traders.  Yes ;  astounding  as  it  may 
seem,  and  disgraceful  as  it  must  appear,  incum- 
bents of  the  pulpit  lent  themselves  to  the  cause 
of  secession  and  treason  in  the  most  unscrupu- 
lous and  reckless  manner ;  sanctioned  the  mur- 
der of  political  heretics,  as  Union  men  were 
esteemed ;  apologized  for  perjury,  in  disregard- 
ing the  oath  of  allegiance ;  and  justified  all 
the  diabolical  barbarism  of  the  guerrilla  system, 
which  caused  a  reign  of  terror,  throughout  the 
Southwest,  that  has  had  no  parallel  in  the 
historv  of  nations,  —  no  ;  not  even  in  the  worst 
days  of  the  French  Eevolution.  . 

But  to  return  to  our  youthful  hero.     Malvin, 
before  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  had 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  15 

some  time  marked  with  serious  apprehensions 
the  portentous  aspect  of  the  poUtical  sky,  and 
watched  with  anxiety  the  coming  of  the  gray 
shadow  of  secession,  and  the  constant  deepening 
of  the  gloom;  yet  he  little  dreamed  that  the 
black  cloud  of  civil  war  was  destined  so  soon  to 
blot  the  sun,  and  from  its  fretted  bosom  hurl  the 
thunderbolts  of  death.  Although  he  quailed 
in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  terror,  and 
fled  in  dismay  when,  with  the  resistless  power 
of  the  whirlwind,  the  storm  first  broke  upon  his 
own  head  ;  yet  it  will  be  seen  that  the  fiery 
ordeal,  through  which  he  was  called  to  pass,  di- 
rectly drew  out  the  strong  points  of  his  charac- 
ter, developed  indomitable  energy,  fired  his  soul 
with  dauntless  courage,  and  transformed  him 
into  a  hero. 

Such  is  the  tendency  of  adversity  and  try- 
ing scenes  upon  sterling  natures.  Calamity, 
suffering,  and  persecution  become  the  crucible 
in  which  the  precious  metal  of  the  soul  is 
separated  from  the  dross.  In  Malvin,  it  at 
once  brought  out  the  pure  gold  of  manly  vir- 
tue and   true  patriotism.      x\nd,  by  the  way,  a 


16  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

thought  is  here  suggested  on  which  it  may  not 
be  unprofitable  to  expatiate  a  moment.  It  is 
this :  While  the  terrible  civil  war,  now  upon  us, 
has  brought,  and  is  daily  bringing,  direst  ca- 
lamities and  untold  sorrows,  yet  at  the  same 
time  it  has,  with  its  numberless  ills  and  Ion 2: 
train  of  evils,  brought  also  no  little  good ;  and 
is  certainly  destined,  in  the  end,  to  w^ork  out 
great  and  glorious  results. 

Not  least  among  the  benefits  already  realized 
are  the  testing  of  principle  in  men  and  the  de- 
velopment and  unveiling  of  their  true  charac- 
ters. 

Never  before,  in  this  world's  history,  has  there 
been  such  an  opportunity  for  men  to  show  them- 
selves, and  to  make  known  the  stuff  they  are 
made  of 

Under  the  pressure  and  white  heat  of  ex- 
citement, consequent  upon  such  times,  the  moral 
complexion  of  the  soul,  the  real  principles  of 
men,  and  their  inherent  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,  be  they  what  they  may,  are  necessarily 
brouo:ht  out  in  a  strongr  lio-ht.  The  tossino;  of 
the  waves,  the  surging  of  the  sea,  when  the 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  17 

tempest  flaps  her  dark  wings,  discover  the  coral 
reefs,  or  lay  bare  the  black  rocks  below  the  sur- 
face ;  so  the  gusts  of  passion,  in  stormy  times 
like  these,  the  gales  that  sweep  over  the  mind, 
and  the  crowding  on  of  great  and  stirring 
events,  strip  all  actors  in  the  scene  of  their 
outward  guise,  and  we  see  men  as  they  are, 
read  their  hearts,  discern  their  secret  motives, 
and  comprehend  their  actions. 

Since  the  beginning  of  our  unhappy  and  most 
sanguinary  struggle,  how  many  men,  who,  in  the 
"  piping  times  of  peace,"  put  on  blandishments, 
gracious  smiles,  and  fairest  external  seeming, 
have  turned  out  treacherous,  selfish,  unprin- 
cipled, and  hollow-hearted  !  And  how  many  of 
great  pretensions,  of  lofty  airs,  wonderful  pa- 
rade, pomp,  and  show,  have  proved  themselves 
but  chaff, —  made  up  of  vanity,  and  lighter  than 
a  puff  of  empty  air  ! 

At  the  same  time,  how  many  in  the  humble i* 
walks  of  life,  unpretentious,  simple-hearted,  and 
of  plain,  homely  exterior,  after  passing  through 
the  fire,  have  come  out  pure  and  sparklhig  dia- 
monds of  the  first  water  ! 

2» 


IS  THE   STARS   AND   BARS; 

The  mighty  commotion,  upheavals,  and  convul- 
sions, of  the  country  have  so  sifted  men  North 
and  South,  East  and  West,  that  we  begin  to  see 
what  material  they  are  composed  of,  and  to  un- 
derstand then-  real  characters.  While  the  cal- 
dron has  been  boiling,  they  have  found  their 
affinities,  and  unconsciously  ranged  themselves 
where  they  belong. 

True  patriots  and  self  sacrificing  citizens,  who 
have  been  the  salvation  of  the  country,  loom 
up  like  stately  columns  of  pure,  white  marble, 
dotting  and  adorning  our  f\xir  land,  while  trai- 
tors are  everywhere  covered  with  shame  and 
disgrace;  and  the  vile  copperhead,  with  his  brains 
out,  and  swollen  with  venom,  lies  helpless  in  his 
snaky  folds,  a  miserable  spectacle  in  the  eyes  of 
all  honest  men,  and  abhorred  alike  by  Heaven 
and  earth ! 

Men  who  have  stood  by  their  country  in  its 
peril,  in  its  struggle,  in  its  agony,  have  won  a 
name  that  will  live  after  them, — a  renown  more 
durable  than  marble,  and  a  glory  fiideless  as  the 
stars  that  gem  the  sky  ;  but  the  memory  of 
traitors  shall  be  left  to  rot. 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  19 

Malvin  passed  the  night  in  the  dreary  wild, 
meditating,  with  burning  brain  and  agony  of 
thought,  through  the  weary,  sleepless  hours, 
upon  the  hapless  events  of  the  preceding  day ; 
and  speculating,  with  vague  conjecture,  upon  the 
future,  w^hich  seemed,  to  his  inexperienced  mind, 
impenetrably  dark,  and  full  of  painful  uncer- 
tainty. The  surrounding  gloom  and  oppressive 
loneliness  of  the  place,  doubtless,  had  something 
to  do  in  depressmg  his  spirits  and  filling  his 
mind  with  trooping  phantoms  and  horrible  fore- 
bodings. Outward  darkness,  unquestionably,  has 
great  influence  over  our  thoughts  and  feelingvS, 
imparting  its  own  sable  complexion  thereto. 

With  the  dawm  of  day,  light  fell  ujoon  the 
young  man's  mind  as  well  as  upon  his  outward 
vision.  While  the  mantle  of  night  disappeared 
before  the  radiant  eye  of  the  rising  morn,  the 
cloud  of  despondency  lilted  from  the  patriot's 
heart.  Everything  like  fear  and  trembling  at 
once  departed,  and  he  straightway  resolved  to 
return  to  his  home,  arm  himself,  defend  his  per- 
son and  property  as  best  he  could,  and  stand  by 
the  old  stars  and  stripes  to  the  last. 


20 


THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 


CHAPTER    II. 


"  Oh  for  a  world  in  principle  as  chaste 
As  this  is  frross  and  selfish  I " 


)(ijLAS,    what   pains    poor   mortals 
take  to  make  life  wretched,  and 
^^  turn  this  beautiful  world  into  a 
hell  1 " 

Thus  soliloquized  Parson  South- 
down, as  he  leisurely  strolled, 
one  bright  spring  morning,  along 
the  margin  of  a  beautiful  prairie  in  the  vicinity 
of  Platte  City,  Missouri. 

In  his  tones  there  was  a  shade  of  sadness,  and 
in  his  look  a  touch  of  melancholy.  He  walked 
on,  sweeping  his  restless  eye  over  the  verdant 
landscape,  as  one  who  sought  to  tranquillize  a 
perplexed  and  troubled  mind. 

"  The  golden  sun  climbs  the  sky,"  continued 
he,  "  to  behold  the  green-robed  earth  rejoicing 
in  her  queenly  attire.     How  radiant  the  face  of 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF   TERROR.  21 

nature !  And  how  sweet  is  the  breath  of 
spring  !  But  oh^  how  can  the  sun  continue  to 
shine,  how  can  creation  smile,  and  the  gentle 
breezes  whisper  peace,  as  with  perfumed  wings 
they  fan  my  feverish  brow,  while  fire  and  sword 
are  doing  their  fearful  work,  while  bloody  mur- 
der stalks  forth  with  stained  hands  and  reekino* 
blade,  and  rapine  and  violence  desolate  the 
land!" 

He  paused,  and  pressed  his  throbbing  temples, 
sighed,  and  uttered  a  word  of  prayer;  then, 
lifting  his  eyes  to  the  blue  sky,  said,  '^  The 
heavens  look  down  as  serenely,  and  all  nature 
is  as  tranquil,  as  though  no  stormy  passions 
raged  in  the  human  breast.  The  birds  sing  as 
merrily,  and  hill  and  dale  bloom  as  gayly,  as  if 
men  were  happy,  and  cherished  toward  one 
another  no  enmity.  Even  these  new-born,  dewy 
flowers  are  smiling  through  their  tears.  And 
how  gently  come  the  yellow  beams  of  the  morn- 
ing sun  to  kiss  away  those  glistening,  pearly 
tears !  Oh  that  the  angel  of  love  would,  in  like 
manner,  come  to  kiss  away  the  burning  drops  of 
grief*  that  to-day  dim  the  eyes  of  thousands  in 
this  distracted  land  ! " 


22  THE   STAES   AMD    BARS  ; 

Now,  leaning  upon  his  staff,  he  stood  for  some 
moments  silent  and  motionless,  as  if  lost  in 
profound  and  gloomy  reflection  ;  then,  suddenly 
looking  up,  and  starting  forward,  as  if  just 
waking  from  a  painful  dream,  he  said  to  himself, 
"  Is  there  not  a  God  of  justice  ?  Why  should  so 
wicked  a  people  marvel  at  his  judgments  ?  " 

A  familiar  voice,  at  this  juncture,  called  out 
to  him,  "  Good-morning,  parson  !  "  And  the 
next  moment  a  horseman  was  by  his  side,  w^hom 
he  greeted  as  Clifton  Clifford. 

"  You  walk  at  an  early  hour,  Mr.  Southdown," 
remarked  the  latter. 

'^  I  like  the  fresh,  balmy  air  that  breathes 
over  these  green  prairies  and  blooming  lawns," 
replied  the  parson ;  "  and  I  love  to  gaze,"  con- 
tinued he,  "  on  those  wide,  bright  plains  when 
yon  shining  orb  pours  his  earliest  light  upon 
their  emerald  bosoms.  Besides,  I  delight  in  the 
unbroken  quiet  which  reigns  here  before  the 
bustling  world's  astir." 

"  Ah,  we  shall  all  sigh  for  quietude,  I  appre- 
hend," returned  Clifford,  '*'  ere  our  country's 
troubles  have  an  end." 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  23 

"Indeed,  we  may,"  said  the  parson.  "-Any 
news  since  our  last  mail  ?  " 

"  Many  rumors  are  on  the  wing ;  the  most 
reliable  of  any  importance  is  from  a  traveller 
at  the  inn,  who  reports  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Sumter  by  the  rebels." 

''  Can  that  be  so  ?  " 

"  From  the  tenor  of  the  report,  it  is  likely  to 
be  true.  And  the  electric  wires,  'tis  said,  are 
everywhere  burdened  with  the  news." 

"  Then  has  already  begun  the  opening  act  of 
the  most  fearful  tragedy  the  world  has  ever 
seen." 

"  If  Major  Anderson  and  his  little  band  should 
be  compelled  to  surrender,  alas  for  our  poor 
country !  And  that  event  must  surely  happen  ; 
for  the  enemy,  it  seems,  is  pouring  shot  and 
shell  upon  them  at  a  furious  rate." 

"  And  make  they  no  resistance  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes.  At  last  accounts,  they  were  re- 
turning the  fire  in  the  most  spirited  manner. 
Gun  was  answering  gun,  while  sea  and  shore 
shook  to  the  fierce  reverberations  of  their  ter- 
rible thunder." 


24  THE   STAES   AND    BARS  : 


"  I  sadly  fear  the  ejQfect  of  this  news  on  our 
own  population." 

"  Doubtless  it  will  add  fuel  to  the  fire  already 
kindled." 

"  YeSj,  and  tend  to  encourage  the  lawless  mis- 
creants of  Border-ruffiandom  in  the  fiendish 
work  already  begun.  Yile  men  and  heartlef's 
wretches,  of  whom  Western  Missouri  is  full,  will 
seize  upon  the  event  as  a  suitable  pretext  for  a 
new  and  more  desperate  outbreak.  The  wild 
excitement,  which  has  been  sweeping  like  a  tem- 
pest over  the  Gulf  States,  will  not  be  long  reach- 
ing Missouri.  And  here  it  may  rage,  with  even 
more  violence  than  there." 

"  What  the  end  will  be,  God  only  knows  ! " 
observed  Clifford  ;  and,  bidding  the  parson  good- 
morning,  spurred  his  steed,  and  galloped  away 
across  the  prairie. 

'^  A  deep  darkness  wraps  the  future,"  said  the 
clergyman  to  himself;  and,  turning  about,  di- 
rected his  steps  homeward. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  da}^  on  which  oc- 
curred the  above  conversation,  there  might  have 


OR,   THE   REIGN    OF   TERROR.  25 

been  seen,  in  the  back-parlor  of  an  elegant  man- 
sion, situated  in  the  suburbs  of  Platte  City, 
three  well-dressed,  middle-aged  men,  sitting  near 
together  in  a  semicircle,  and  earnestly  engaged 
in  close  conversation. 

"  Great  times  make  great  men,"  remarked  one 
of  the  trio,  in  a  suppressed,  yet  emphatic,  voice. 
^'  We  must  not  let  slip  the  golden  ball  of  oppor- 
tunity," added  he  ;  "  what  say  you,  Macqueen?" 

"  I  am  growing  less  sanguine,"  responded  the 
individual  addressed.  "  Our  plans  have,  so  far, 
turned  out  miserable  failures." 

"  And  are  you  about  to  recant  ?  " 

"  That  is,  perhaps,  too  late.  But  if  it  were 
within  my  power  to  recall  the  past,  I  would  take 
not  another  step  on  the  fearful  path  of  seces- 
sion. We  vainly  hoped  the  revolution  would  be 
bloodless ;  but  that  silly  delusion  has  already 
been  dispelled  from  our  minds." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  impatiently  replied  the  other ; 
*' blood  will  fatten  the  soil,  let  it  flow.  But  we'll 
be  careful  of  our  own." 

'-  When  sanguinary  revolutions  begin,  there's 
no  telling  where  they'll  end," 


26  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

"  Too  irresolute,  —  want  the  nerve,  I  take  it." 

"  I  must  confess,  Ryan,  that  I've  no  thirst  for 
blood,  but  a  great  horror  of  human  slaughter. 
Already  have  we  had  enough  of  it." 

"  What  has  so  changed  your  purpose  ?  In  the 
beginning,  you  were  resolute,  determined,  and 
ready  to  hazard  everything  in  the  cause  of  se- 
cession, and  even  willing  to  sacrifice  your  best 
friends  rather  than  fail." 

"  I  was  then  drunk  on  vain  hopes  and  a  mad 
ambition,  but  recent  events  have  made  me 
sober  and  sick  at  heart.  'Twas  but  yesterday, 
my  nearest  neighbor,  a  good  and  valuable  citi- 
zen, was  assassinated,  —  shot  like  a  dog !  and  by 
a  member  of  our  Order ! " 

"  His  death  was  decreed  by  the  Castle,  and 
the  honorable  Knight  who  put  a  bullet  in  his 
brain  was,  by  high  authority,  appointed  his  exe- 
cutioner." 

"  Ail  the  worse." 

"  How  dare  you  say  so  ?  You  are  a  member 
of  the  Order,  and  belong  to  the  Inner  Temple 
of  the  Knio;hts  of  the  Golden  Circle." 

"  Say,  rather.  Knights  of  the  Bloody  Circle, — 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  27 

sinpe  we  have  become  a  band  of  assassins,  whose 
chief  business  it  is  to  murder  our  political  ene- 
mies." 

"  Have  you  so  soon  forgotten  your  oath  ?  " 

"  No.  I  but  too  well  remember  it.  God  for- 
give me  that  I  have  kept  it  so  well." 

"  You  have  a  sickly  conscience ;  it  needs 
physic." 

"  So  it  does  ;  a  medicine  that  can  take  away 
the  stains  of  blood." 

"  This  squeamishness  comes  of  your  Uglier-law 
proclivities.  I  have  sometimes  observed  that 
these  higher-law  men,  all  have  tender-footed, 
weak-kneed  consciences." 

"Is  there  no  danger  of  eavesdroppers  here?" 
inquired  the  third  individual,  who,  up  to  this 
time  had  kept  silent.  "  If  I  mistake  not,"  added 
he, "  I've  thrice  seen  a  shadow  pass  the  window. 
It  looked  like  the  figure  of  a  woman,  closely 
hooded  and  mantled." 

"  A  servant,  perhaps,"  said  Macqueen ;  "  it  can 
be  no  one  else.  My  wife  is  from  home,  —  gone 
to  spend  the  night  with  a  neighbor  in  the  coun- 
try. Had  she  not  been  absent,  we  should  have 
met  elsewhere." 


28  THE  -STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

"  And  is  she  opposed  to  secession  ? "  asked 
Ryan^  with  surprise. 

"  Uncompromisingly,"  replied  Macqueen  in  a 
low  voice  ;  "  let  us  talk  softly,"  he  added  ;  "  walls 
have  been  known  to  have  ears.  Our  room 
being  dark,  no  one  can  see  us  from  without. 
And  none  of  the  servants,  I'm  sure,  saw  us 
when  we  came  in.  Some  of  them  may  be  idly 
passing  about,  but  will  not  likely  overhear  ns." 

"Then,  resuming  the  subject,"  remarked 
Ryan,  "  let  us  come  at  once  to  the  point.  This 
attack  on  Fort  Sumter  will  no  little  favor  our 
'designs  by  fanning  the  flame  of  excitement, 
w^iich  is  preparing  the  pro-slavery  part  of  the 
community,  in  this  section,  to  make  a  clean 
sweep  of  the  Dutch  and  abolition  Missourians. 
We  can  do  anything,  you  know,  with  the  white 
trash  when  once  we  get  them  properly  excited. 
They'd  run  their  heads  full-tilt  against  a  stone 
wall  if  we  were  but  to  tell  them  to.  The  poor 
devils  want  no  hia:her  honor  than  to  be  our 
tools.  And  they  hate  abolitionists  a  great  sight 
worse  than  we  do.  For  they  know,  if  the  nig- 
gers get  free,  they'll  soon  have  competition  for 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR,  29 

menial  employment.  So  you  see,  as  we've  got 
to  use  these  ragamuffins  in  putting  down  Union 
men,  it's  expedient  that  we  lay  hold  of  every 
event  calculated  to  inflame  their  passions." 

"  And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  v/ith  our 
Union  neiijrhbors  ?  " 

"  Every  mother's  son  among  them  has  got  to 
do  one  of  three  things,  —  renounce  their  Union 
doctrine,  leave  the  country,  or  swing  upon  a 
halter.  Between  these  three  things  the}^  will 
be  forced  to  choose." 

"  That  is  madness." 

"  He  is  a  madman  who  calls  it  madness." 

"  These  Union  men  have  the  same  right  to 
the  countrj^we  have,  and  the  same  right  to  their 
opinions  that  we  have  to  ours.  Their  homes 
are  sacred ;  their  families  are  dear  to  them,  and 
rightfully  look  to  them  for  protection.  We 
have  no  more  right  to  molest  them  than  they 
have  to  molest  us." 

"If  that  kind  of  doctrine  is  to  be  preached, 
we  may  as  well  abandon  the  cause  at  once  ;  the 
whole  seheme  falls  to  the  ground ;  secession  is 
a  failure,  and  we  have  our  trouble  for  our  pains. 

8* 


30  THE   STARS   AND    BARS', 


According  to  our  oath  and  obligation,  as  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle,  we  are  bound  to  go  for- 
ward at  all  hazards,  and  at  whatever  cost,  in 
achieving  the  indejDendence  of  the  Slave  States. 
To  accomplish  our  purpose,  we  are  bound  to 
stop  at  nothing.  No  man's  life  is  to  be  a  stum- 
bling-block in  the  way  of  ultimate  success. 
And,  as  Knights  of  the  Innei^  Temple,  we  are 
pledged  to  take  Missouri  out  of  the  Union  or 
take  her  to  perdition." 

"  To  do  tbe  latter  may  be  found  easier  than 
the  former." 

"  Have  you  no  ambition  ?  " 

"  Too  much,  alas !  unless  it  were  of  a  better 
quality.  Ambition  burns  like  fire  in  my  bones, 
and,  to  gratify  it,  I  am  ready  to  do  almost  any- 
thing but  commit  murder." 

"  A  man  of  ambition  can  never  have  a  better 
opportunity  than  the  present.  If  secession  bhall 
accomphsh  its  mission,  a  thing  most  certain,  each 
State,  in  the  end,  will  likely  set  up  for  itself,  and 
choose  its  own  form  of  government.  As  to  Mis- 
souri, we  contemplate  nothing  short  of  an  em- 
pire, —  an  empire,  of  which  slaver i/  is  to  be  the 


OR,  THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR.  31 

chief   corner-stone.     Wlien  that  happens,  then 
will  be  our  chance  to  cUmb." 

''  That  is  all  very  fine  ;  but  there's  no  use  de- 
ceiving ourselves,  and  building  castles  in  the  air. 
The  revolution  may  indeed  succeed,  and  you 
and  I  may  gahi  seats  of  power,  but  only 
through  blood." 

"  There's  Banquo's  ghost  again,  —  blood  ! 
blood!  You  can't  endure  the  thought  of 
blood." 

"  I  confess  the  weakness." 

''  Then  talk  not  of  ambition ;  dream  not  of 
reaching  dizzy  heights  in  this  world.  No  man 
need  hope  to  grasp  a  sceptre,  wear  purple  robes, 
or  place  a  crown  upon  his  brow,  till  he  can  say 
to  Conscience  and  pale-faced  Fear,  —  Avauntl" 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  a  shght 
click  in  the  lock  of  the  outer  door  might  have 
been  heard  by  an  acute  listener ;  directly  after 
which,  the  door  softly  opened,  and  in  glided  a 
female  figure,  with  the  stealthy  movement  of  a 
ghost.  Gently  closing  the  door  behind  her,  she 
passed  cautiously  across  the  floor  to  the  oppo- 


32  THE   STAE8   A^'D    BABS  ; 

site  side  of  the  drawing-room,  and,  bending  her 
ear  close  to  the  great  folding-doors,  which  sepa- 
rated the  front  from  the  back  parlor,  stood  for 
some  moments  in  a  listening  attitude ;  then, 
gliding  back  to  the  centre  of  the  apartment,  lit 
a  great  silver  chandelier  which  hung  su^^pended 
from  the  ceiling.  In  a  moment,  the  room  was 
brilliantly  illuminated.  But  the  occupants  of 
the  adjoining  apartment,  who  were  sitting  in 
profound  darkness,  perceived  it  not.  For  in  the 
folding  doors  there  was  not  even  so  much  as  a 
keyhole  to  admit  a  single  stray  beam. 

Now  the  mysterious  shadow  that  had  thrice 
passed  the  window  of  the  conspirators  turned 
out  a  veritable  woman ;  and,  throwing  off  her 
disguise,  she  stood  forth  the  proud  mistress  of 
the  mansion. 

But  the  gentle,  sunny  smile  she  was  wont  to 
wear  had  disappeared ;  her  sweet  expression 
was  gone ;  and  her  ruby  lips,  turning  ashy 
white,  pressed  tightly  against  her  firm-set  teeth, 
her  bosom  heaved  with  violent  emotion,  and  her 
large,  lustrous  eyes  flashed  fire. 

After  a  pause,  as  if  to  regain  self-possession, 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  33 

she  tiptoed  to  the  folding-floors,  and,  slyly  re- 
movhig  a  fastening,  gave  them  a  vigorous  and 
sudden  shove,  at  the  same  time  gliding  back 
underneath  the  ilaring;  chandelier. 

The  folding-doors  parting  in  the  centre,  each 
wing  swung  back  upon  its  hinges,  allowing  a 
sudden  flood  of  dazzling  light  to  be  poured  into 
the  faces  of  the  conspirators. 

Nevei^  were  men  more  astonished,  nor  worse 
confounded.  If  a  thunderbolt  had  fallen 
through  the  roof,  or  the  earth  yawned  beneath 
their  feet,  they  could  not  have  manifested  more 
surprise. 

On  recovering  a  little  from  the  effect  of  the 
first  burst  of  light  upon  their  overpowered  vis- 
ion, they  were  greatly  abashed  and  confused  by 
the  withering,  petrifying  glance  of  the  majestic 
woman  who  stood  before  them  like  an  avenging 
an2:el. 

Never  did  an  indifirnant  woman  assume  an  at- 

o 

titude  more  haughty  and  commanding.  Tall  of 
stature,  beautiful  in  figure,  handsome  of  feature, 
and  fired  as  was  her  soul  with  intense  excite- 
ment, she  looked  august  and  terridc  as  an  angry 
goddess. 


34  THE   STARS   Ais'D   BARS; 

After  hurling  upon  the  plotting  trio,  for  a 
moment,  the  fierce  lightning  of  her  eye,  she 
strode  proudlj'  across  the  chamber,  mingling  a 
look  of  ineffable  scorn  with  an  air  of  lofty 
disdain  and  bitter  indignation ;  then,  turning 
about,  again  bent  her  eagle  gaze  upon  the  dum- 
founded  traitors,  especially  on  him  whose 
treason  touched  her  deepest,  —  her  husband, — 
and  said  :  — 

"  Has  it  come  to  this,  —  our  house  the  resort 
of  rebels?"' 

"  Eebels  !  Rebels  !  "  echoed  the  disloyal  as- 
sociates of  her  husband,  exchanging  sharp 
glances,  and  putting  on  an  air  of  insulted 
dignity. 

"  And  you,  Mr.  Macqueen,  their  boon  com- 
panion !  "  continued  the  indignant  woman. 
"  Such  being  your  affinities,  the  same  roof  can- 
not much  longer  shelter  us." 

"  Madam,  what  mean  you  ?  "  demanded  the 
trembling  husband,  rising  to  his  feet,  and  mak- 
ing an  awkward,  but  desperate,  effort  to  put  on 
an  iiir  of  authority. 

"  My  words  are  plain,"  answered  she,  with  a 


OR,  THE   EEIGN   OF  TERROR. 


35 


peculiar  stress  of  voice,  and  again  strode  haugh- 
tily across  the  apartment. 

"  In  Heaven's  name,  consider  what  you  say," 
rejoined   Macqueen ;   "  insult   not  these  gentle-  ^ 

men." 

"  Drive  them  hence  1 "  said  she,  with  startling 
emphasis  and  sweeping  gesture. 

"  This  is  disgraceful !  "  muttered  the  confused 
husband,  with  downcast  look  and  faltering  voice. 

"Disgraceful?  Ay,  so  it  is,  — havuag  made 
your  house  a  den  of  thieves!  Away!  all  of 
you,  away  ! " 

"Let  us  withdraw,"  whispered  Kyan  to  his 
companion ;  "  she's  bent  on  raising  Beelzebub." 

"  Agreed !  "  gasped  the  other;  "  lead  the  way  ; 
let  •  us  vanish  before  we're  annihilated.  I 
wouldn't  be  her  husband  for  a  kingdom." 

Saying  which,  they  slid  out  at  a  back-door, 
and  quickly  disappeared  in  the  darkness  of  the 

night. 

There  was  now  silence  for  a  space,  save  the 
emphatic  footfall  of  Mrs.  Macqueen,  who  con- 
tinued to  walk  up  and  down  the  apartment,  as 
if  nursing   her   indignation   to   keep  it  warm. 


36  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

Meanwhile,  lier  husband  stood  in  a  sulky  mood, 
dejected  and  speechless,  looking  like  a  criminal 
at  the  bar  of  justice. 

"  I've  no  patience,"  at  length  said  she,  "  with 
the  black-hearted  knaves  enoraored  in  this  foul 
conspiracy." 

"  Am  I  no  longer  master  of  my  own  house  ?  " 
stammered  Macqueen,  seeming  at  a  loss  what 
to  say  for  himself,  yet  compelled  to  say  some- 
thing. 

"  The  willing  slave  of  Satan,  and  the  abettor 
of  secession,"  replied  she,  in  a  tone  of  defiance, 
"  shall  not  be  my  master." 

"  The  viper's  tongue  hath  a  deadly  poison," 
returned  he,  with  half-averted  face,  and  in  a 
hissing^,  bitter  voice. 

"  If  with  mine  1  could  slay  vile  men  and 
traitors,"  quickly  answered  she,  "then  might  I 
hope  to  serve  my  country,  and  rid  the  world  of 
wretches  not  worthy  to  live  in  it." 

"  And  can  such  malice  nestle  in  a  heart  that's 
wont  to  be  so  gentle  ? "  said  Macqueen,  half 
aside  and  half  audibly,  w4iile  he  walked  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  chamber,  manifestly  much 


OR^   THE   REIGN    OF   TERROR.  37 

overcome  with  emotion.  After  a  short  silence, 
he  turned  to  his  wife  and  feelingly  said,  "  For 
years,  Florence,  we've  together  lived  and  loved, 
while  not  an  unkind  word  ever  passed  thy  Ups 
or  mine  to  mar  our  peace." 

"  Yes,  yes ;  for,  until  now,  you  were  true  to 
your  wife  and  loyal  to  your  country ;  but  you 
have  at  length,  and  at  once,  proved  false  to  the 
one  and  a  traitor  to  the  other." 

"  A  traitor !  Do  you  say  traitor  ?  "  cried  he, 
with  sudden  passion  and  in  terrific  accents ;  at 
the  same  time  wheeling  round,  and  dashing  from 
one  side  of  the  house  to  the  other  like  a  ma- 
niac. 

"  Ay,  traitor  !  "  she  repeated  with  emphasis. 
"  What  else  should  I  call  the  man  who  plots  in 
secret  the  downfall  of  the  government  that  pro- 
tects him,  and  to  which  he  ow^es  everything  he 
counts  dear?" 

"  You  wrong;  me." 

"  No  ;  I've  rightly  named  you,  —  traitor."^ 

"  You  wrong  me,  Florence,"  he  repeated  in  a 
faltering  voice,  the  tremulous  and  melancholy 


38  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

intonations  of  which  betrayed  a  deep-felt  an- 
guish of  mind. 

"  How  can  I  wrono;  the  man  who  associates 
himself  with  vile  conspirators,  heartless  assassins, 
and  cold-blooded  murderers  ?  If  these  men, 
themselves,  do  not  rob  and  kill,  they  encourage 
the  cut-throats  who  do.  Wrong  you?  Had  I 
the  poison  of  asps  under  my  tongue,  and  were 
my  words  barbed  arrows,  dipped  in  the  venom 
of  perdition,  I  could  not  wrong  such  a  man." 

'•  But  hear  me ! " 

"  Go  on." 

"  If  I  seek  to  destroy  the  Union,  'tis  only  that 
I  might  see  erected  upon  its  ruins  a  great 
Southern  Empire." 

"  Oh,  I  dare  say  !  Or  rather,  perhaps,  an  oli- 
garchy, wherein  the  rich  might  lord  it  over  the 
poor.  Mark  my  words  ;  you  are  about  to  leap 
from  a  precipice, —  a  steep  and  frightful  preci- 
pice." 

"Groundless  apprehensions!  you  torment 
yourself  to  no  purpose."  Saying  which,  he 
withdrew  from  the  apartment,  leaving  his  wife 
in  tears. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR. 


39 


CHAPTER    III. 


"  There  is  some  soul  of  goodness  in  things  evil, 
Would  men  observingly  distil  it  out." 


N  obscure  village  in  North- 
western Arkansas,  or,  more  prop- 
^^  erly,  Arkansaw,  was  the  birth- 
place of  Adrian  Malvin,  the 
youthful  patriot  introduced  in 
the  beginning  of  our  story. 
The  veritable  Arkansaw  trav- 
eller, of  whom  everybody  has  heard,  out  of 
derision,  while  temporarily  sojourning  there, 
called  the  place,  Scallawagville ;  which  name 
it  has  never  been  able  to  shake  off,  and  by 
which  it  is  now  more  widely  known  than  by 
any  other.  Its  inhabitants,  for  the  most  part, 
are  made  up  of  a  rude,  dissipated,  and  lawless 
class  of  people ;  yet  some  progress  has  been 
made,  on  the  part  of  missionaries,  in  civilizing 
and  Christianizing  the  population. 


40  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

The  most  successful  and  indefatigable  among 
the  heralds  of  the  cross  at  Scallawagville,  up  to 
the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  was  Rev.  Dr. 
Elmore,  a  native  of  Old  Virginia.  For  many 
long  years  this  gospel  veteran  had  labored  there 
to  build  up  religion,  morality,  and  virtue  among 
the  people.  A  goodly  number,  through  his 
instrumentality,  had  been  led  to  the  cross,  and 
became  valuable  members  of  society.  But  the 
multitude  remained  hard,  impenitent,  and  reck- 
less. To  all  intents  and  purposes  they  were 
barbarians, —  unthinking,  unfeeling  barbarians 
and  reprobates,  scarcely  more  civilized  than 
the  wild  Indians  that  roam  over  the  plains  and 
throu2[:h  the  forests. 

The  savage  disposition,  of  a  portion  of  the 
population  displayed  itself  in  the  most  shock- 
ing manner,  a  few  years  ago,  in  their  treatment 
of  a  Yankee  book-pedler,  against  whom,  without 
any  just  cause  or  provocation,  they  had  become 
enrao'ed.  The  circumstance  is  almost  too  hor- 
rible  to  record  ;  yet  it  may  serve  to  show  us 
how  deeply  depraved  bad  men  are  capable  of 
becoming  whGu  they  surrender  themselves  to 
pasbion    and   prejudice. 


OR,    THE   REIGN    OF   TERROR.  11 

The  crime  of  which  the  poor  book-pedler  was 
accused  and  found  guilty  was  that  of  having 
three  copies  of  "  Uncle  Tom's  Ccdin;'  among  his 
stock.  A  mob  of  three  or  four  hundred  men 
took  the  unfortunate  man  a  mile  or  two  out  of 
the  village,  chained  him  to  his  wagon,  and 
burned  him  to  death  by  a  fire  made  chiefly  of 
his  own  books. 

In  vain  did  the  victim  of  their  cruelty  plead 
that  these  obnoxious  books  were  not  intended 
for  their  slaves,  —  whom  they  all  knew  could 
not  read,— but  for  free  white  men.  Vf  ith  insults, 
cursing,  and  savage  yells,  they  drpwned  his  voice 
till  he  perished  amid  the  devouring  flames. 

When  the  present  rebellion  came  up,  such 
heartless  wretches  as  these  were  of  course 
ready  to  play  a  conspicuous  part,  and  to  enact 
deeds  of  fiendish  cruelty.  Their  conduct  in  the 
beginning  of  the  rebellion  is  dimly  shadowed 
forth   in  the  following  sketch :  — 

It  was  Sabbath  morning.  The  church-bells 
of  Scallawagville  were  ringing  loud  and  clear. 
Saints  and  sinners  filled  the  streets,  and  all 
seemed   hurrying   on   in   one    direction,  —  evi- 


4* 


42  THE   STARS   AND    UAK3  ; 

dently  drawn  by  some   exciting  cause   to   one 
common  point  of  attraction. 

It  bad  been  wbispered  about,  during  tbe  pre- 
ceding week,  tbat  Parson  Elmore,  the  pastor  of 
the  principal  church  in  the  village,  and  the  only 
loyal  minister,  perhaps,  in  all  Arkansas,  was  to 
be  mobbed  the  next  attempt  he  made  to  preach 
a  Union  sermon.  The  rumor  had  created  no 
little  sensation;  and,  as  the  Sabbath  drew  on, 
the  excitement  increased,  and  at  length  had  be- 
come intense. 

At  an  early  hour,  the  meeting-house,  a  spa- 
cious building,  was  densely  packed;  while  the 
other  places  of  worship  were  almost  entirely 
deserted,  —  everj^body  being  eager  to  witness 
the  expected  riot.  Scores  of  ruffians,  blacklegs, 
rumsellers,  and  loafers,  who  rarely  ever  had 
seen  the  inside  of  a  church,  w^ere  on  hand, 
ready  and  anxious  to  take  a  hand  in  mob- 
bing the  minister.  The  crowd  awaited  with 
great  impatience  the  arrival  of  the  obnoxious 
preacher.  By  and  by,  a  venerable-looking 
man,  with  snowy  locks,  solemn  countenance, 
and  thoughtful  expression,  made  his  appearance, 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  43 

leaning  upon  his  staff,  and  slowly  wending  his 
way  to  the  house  of  God.  His  air  was  calm, 
meek,  and  gentle ;  yet  there  Vv\as  something  of 
sorrow  and  sadness  mingled  with  the  heavenly 
radiance  that  beamed  from  his  eye  and  lit  up 
his  intenio;ent  face. 

The  venerable  pastor  was  met  at  the  thresh- 
old by  a  committee,  w^ho  informed  him  that 
he  would  not  be  allowed  to  preach  unless  he 
agreed  to  renounce  his  political  opinions,  give 
up  his  Union  sentiments,  and  publicly  apologize 
for  wdiat  he  had  said  in  the  pulpit  against  seces- 
sion the  previous  Sabbath. 

"  Would  you  have  me  so  dishonor  my  gray 
hairs?"  replied  the  hoary-headed  minister. 
^'•In  my  youth,  and  through  my  manhood's 
prime,"  continued  he,  "  I  have  loved  my  coun- 
try, and, been  proud  to  prove  myself  a  patriot; 
and  think  you,  I  can  now  consent,  in  the 
evening  of  my  days,  and  wdiile  my  head  is  blos- 
soming for  the  grave,  to  become  a  traitor? 
Heaven   forbid  1 " 

The  committee,  not  entirely  lost  to  all  sense 
of  shame,   seemed   much   confused,   and,   after 


44  THE   STARS    AND    BARS; 

some  hesitanc}^,  proposed  that  the  services 
might  proceed,  on  condition  that  nothing  be 
said  from  the  pulpit  against  sece^^sion,  nor  in 
favor  of  the  Union.  To  this  the  minister  made 
no  answer,  but,  turning  about,  pressed  his  way 
along  the  crowded  aisle  to  the  pulpit. 

A  murmur  of.  dissatisfaction  was  now  heard 
amono;  the  rabble  who  hunor  round  the  doors 
and  filled  the  windows  and  aisles.  And  rebel 
professors,  as  well  as  disloyal  worldlings,  mut- 
tered, gnashed  their  teeth,  and  looked  daggers. 

Adrian  Malvin,  with  a  few  reliable  friends  by 
his  side,  had  planted  himself  near  the  pulpit, 
and  stood  with  his  right  hand  upon  his  revol- 
ver, resolved,  at  all  hazards,  to  defend  his 
loya\  pastor,  ay,  even  if  it  cost  him  the  last 
drop  of  blood  in  his  veins. 

Calmly,  and  apparently  with  the  utmost  com- 
posure, the  man  of  God  commenced  the  solemn 
services  of  the  sanctuary. 

After  reading  an  impressive  Scripture  lesson, 
he  offered  up  a  most  fervent  and  patriotic 
prayer  to  the  great  Ruler  of  the  universe,  in 
behalf  of  the  country,  and  for  the  upholding  of 


OR,  THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR.  45 

the   government  and    the   preservation  of  the 

Union. 

A  gang  of  turbulent  fellow.s,  near  the  door, 
had  the  indecency  to  hiss  and  groan  several 
times   during   the    prayer. 

Soon  as  the  minister  closed  his  address  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  three  stalwart  ruffians  came 
rudely  pushing  their  way  down  the  aisle,  swear- 
incr  veno-eance  a2;ainst  the  Union  preacher,  and 
evidently  bent  on  violence. 

As  they  neared  the  pulpit^  they  were  unex- 
pectedly confronted  by  Malvin,  who,  drawing 
his  pistol,  assured  the  foremost  man  that  an- 
other step  would  cost  him  his  life. 

The  villains  halted  ;  for  they  plainly  saw  in 
Malvin's  eye  unMtering  courage,  deep  earnest- 
ness, and  cool  determination. 

In.  vain  did  the  brutal  herd  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  congregation .  urge  them  forward;  the 
courao-e  of  the  bullies  had  oozed  out ;  nor  could 
all  the  goading  and  spurring  of  the  mob  rally  it 


again. 


The  minister  now  began,  kindly  and  mildly,  to 
expostulate  with  the  turbulent  and  disorderly 


46  THE  STARS   AXD   BARS: 


part  of  the  multitude  ;  but  his  voice  was  directly 
drowned  by  the  hootiiigs  and  bowlings  of  the 
rabble. 

"  Order !  order ! "  cried  a  respectable  citizen 
in  the  midst  of  the  assembly.  ^*  Let  us  have 
some  respect,  at  least,  for  gray  hairs,  and  not 
forget  that  this  venerable  minister  has  preached 
to  us  twenty  years.  Besides,  no  man  should  be 
condemned  unheard." 

But  still  the  rabble  continued  yellinfy,  hoot- 
ing,  and  howling,  and  calling  the  man  of  God 
everything  they  considered  reproachful,  —  a 
black  republican,  abolitionist,  a  devil,  &c. 
.  "  Bear  in  mind,"  said  the  citizen,  again  rais- 
ing his  voice  above  the  tumult,  ''that  Parson 
Elmore  is  not  a  foreigner;  neither  is  he  a  Yan- 
kee that  you  should  be  prejudiced  against  him. 
He  is  a  Southern  man,  a  native  of  Yirginift ;  an 
early  settler  in  Arkansas,  and  an  old  citizen 
among  us.  The  best  of  his  life  has  been  spent 
in  trying  to  make  us  a  better  and  happier  peo- 
ple. He  was  here,  a  pioneer  in  the  wilds  of  the 
¥/est,  enduring  the  hardships  and  privations  of 
border-life  long  before  the^^e  brainless,  hissing 
goslings  v^^ere  hatched." 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  47 

This  appeal  had  the  desired  effect.  The  ruf- 
fians were  shamed  into  silence,  at  least  for  a 
time.' 

"  Fellow-citizens,  Christian  brethren,  neighbors 
and  friends,"  began  the  good  man,  seeming  to 
forget  that  he  had  just  been  calumniated, 
mocked,  and  derided,  ^' who,  among  you,  looks 
upon  me  as  an  enemy?  Where  is  the  man, 
woman,  or  chikL  that  I  have  wrono-ed  ?  During: 
a  long  series  of  years  have  I  not  proved  myself 
the  friend  of  this  community  ?  If  I  have  re- 
proved, rebuked,  admonished,  and  exhorted  you, 
it  has  been  because  I  loved  you,  wished  you  well, 
and  sought  to  lead  you  into  the  way  of  life  and 
salvation.  Besides,  am  I  not  the  friend  of  this 
country  ?  Am  I  not  the  friend  and  lover  of  the 
South,  and  especially  of  the  great  vSouthwest  ? 
Am  I  not  the  firm  friend,  the  long-tried  friend, 
of  Arkansas  ?  If  any  of  you  dare  say  other- 
wise, I  challenge  you  to  speak.  My  country- 
men, whatever  my  faults  and  imperfections  may 
be,  you  know  that  I  am  true  to  this  country 
and  true  to  you.  Then  it  is  because  I  am  your 
friend,  and  the  friend  of  our  common  country, 


48  THE   STARS   AXD    BARS  ; 

m 

that  I  am  also  the  friend  and  defender  of  the 
Union,  —  our  ever-glorious  and  heaven-blessed 
Union  ! " 

Th«  closing  of  the  sentence,  ^Yhich  should 
have  elicited  hearty  ajDplause,  brought  only 
another  storm  of  hisses  and  bowlings. 

But,  quailing  not,  nor  in  the  least  losing  his 
perfect  self-possession,  the  patriotic  servant  of 
God  and  of  his  country  went  on :  "  Believe 
me,  fellow-citizens  and  friends,  no  greater  ca- 
lamity could  l^efall  the  IL^outh  —  certainly  none 
greater  could  happen  to  Arkansas  —  than  a  dis- 
solution of  the  Union." 

Now  again,  the  brainless,  brutal  mob  raged, 
raved,  and  rent  the  air  with  hideous  yells,  vul- 
gar epithets,  and  cursing. 

"  You  excite  my  sympathies  rather  than  my 
indignation,"  calmly  remarked  the  speaker,  soon 
as  the  tumult  had  sufficiently  subsided.  "  Igno- 
rance," he  added,  "is  more  to  be  pitied  than 
blamed." 

"He  insults  3^our  intelligence,  gentlemen," 
cried  out  a  secesh  clergyman,  who  had  followed 
his  congregation  from  their  own  place  of  wor- 
ship to  see  the  Union  preacher  mobbed. 


OR,   THE   RETGN   OF   TERROR.  49 

With  this  encouragement  from  a  pulpit  man, 
the  ruffians  began  anew  to  threaten  vengeance, 
and  to  call  for  tar  and  feathers. 

"I  wouldn't  blame  you,"  said  the  disloyal 
parson,  again  lifting  up  his  hypocritical  voice, 
"  if  you  were  to  treat  the  old  sinner  to  a  cra- 
vat, made  of  hemp.  Such  a  neck-tie,  I  imagine, 
would  well  become  a  Union  preacher's  com- 
plexion." 

«  Yes,  let  us  hang  him ! "  said  a  blackleg,  in 
the  midst  of  the  disorderly  throng,  and  who 
seemed  to  be  the  chief  centre  of  attraction  for 
the  riotous,  indecent,  and  turbulent  part  of  the 
excited  concourse. 

«  Han^'-  him  !  hano"  him ! "  shouted  a  score  of 
voices,  taking  their  cue  from  the  blackleg. 

Still  calm  as  a  summer  evening,  the  gray- 
haired  patriot,  casting  a  look  of  sorrow  upon 
the  disorderly  rabble,  said,  — 

"  Misguided  men,  however  unseemly  this  con- 
duct may  be,  I  pity  you.  Yes,  down  deep  in 
my  heart  I  pity  you.  Nor  is  there  one  among 
you  whom  I  pity  more  than  this  poor  traitor, 
who  professes  to  be  a  gospel  minister." 


50  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

While  uttering  the  last  sentence,  he  pointed 
his  finger  cKrectly  at  the  shameless  clergyman, 
Vsho  had  just  sought  to  instigate  the  mob  to  acts 
of  violence.  This  sharp  rebuke  so  incensed  and 
kindled  the  ire  of  the  reverend  traitor  that  he 
went  into  a  diabolical  rage  most  shocking  to 
behold.  It  seemed  he  would  certainly  explode ! 
—  indeed,  did  explode  in  a  tornado  of  wrathful 
words,  vulgar  slang,  and  opprobrious  epithets. 

As  soon  as  order  was  partially  restored  again, 
the  speaker  said, — 

'-  Why  are  the  services  of  the  sanctuary  inter- 
rupted to-day  ?  Why  have  I  not  been  allowed 
to  proceed  as  usual  in  my  ministrations  ?  Why 
am  I  threatened  with  mob-violence  ?  And  why 
have  I  been  told  this  morning,  by  a  committee 
of  professedly  Christian  men,  that  I  must  change 
my  sentiments,  renounce  my  opinions,  or  cease 
to  occupy  the  pulpit  ?  Yes,  I  am  to  be  turned 
out  of  the  pulpit,  in  which  I  have  so  long  la- 
bored to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ,  the  cause 
of  truth  and  virtue,  to  build  up  society,  and 
elevate  humanity.     What  is  my  offence  ?  " 

"  Preaching   politics  ! "    cried   out  a  political 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  51 

demagogue,   standing   up   before    the    minister 
with  a  beet-reel  nose,  and  so  drunk  he  could 

scarcely  see. 

«  Ministers  of  the  gospel/'  chimed  in  the  rebel 
clergyman,  Avho  had  just  been  boiUng  over  with 
fury,  "have  no  business  taking  anything  into 
the  pulpit  but  religion." 

"The  heaven-appointed  watchman  on  Zion's 
wall^,  if  true  to  his  trust,"  replied  the  speaker, 
« is  ever  vigilant  to  guard  and  defend,  not  only 
the  interests  of  religion  and  of  the  Church,  but 
also  the  interests  of  his  government  and  coun- 
try. For,  while  he  is  a  minister  of  Christ,  he  is 
likewise  a  patriot.  While  he  is  a  herald  of  the 
cross,  he  is  at  the  same  time  a  citizen,  sharing 
the  benefits,  and  enjoying  the  protection,  of  civil 
government. 

"  Put  him  down  !  put  him  down!  "  shouted  a 

stentorian  voice. 

"Drag   him   out-!    drag   him   out!"    bawled 

another. 

"Damn  the  Yankee  Government!"   cried  a 

third. 

"Hurrah    for    the    Southern    Confederacy!" 
shouted  the  red-nosed  political  demagogua 


52  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  J 

"HiiiTah!  hurrah!  hurrah!"  went  up  Hke  a 
tempest  from  the  loucl-mouthed  ralj'tile. 

Paying  no  attention  to  this  interruption,  fur- 
ther than  to  wait  for  a  chance  to  be  heard,  the 
speaker  went  on :  — 

"  It  is,  I  grant,"  said  he,  mildly,  "  the  chief 
duty  of  the  minister  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  call  sinners  to  repentance ; 
but  has  he,  thereforcj  nothing  to  do  wath  tem- 
poral affairs  ?  Why  should  he  be  thought  less 
interested  than  other  men  in  the  salvation  of 
the  republic,  and  in  the  prosperity  of  the  com- 
monwealth ?  " 

"  We  must  keep  politics  out  of  the  pulpit !  " 
spake  another  tory  clergyman. 

"  Nothing  is  foreign  to  the  pulpit,"  responded 
the  occupant  of  the  desk,  -'  which  belongs  to 
humanity.  Nor  should  any  topic  be  excluded 
therefrom  that  is  calculated  to  honor  God,  ele- 
vate and  enlighten  mankind." 

"  All  that's  but  sophistry !  sheer  sophistry  ! " 
exclaimed  the  tory  parson,  anxious  to  annoy 
and  interrupt  the  speaker. 

"  The  minister  of  Jesus,"  continued  Rev.  El- 


r.  > 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  bo 

more,  "  lives  and  labors  to  make  the  world  bet- 
ter, wiser,  and  happier.  He  seizes  with  avidity 
every  opportunity  for  doing  good,  whether 
spiritual  or  temporal.  He  is  ready  to  lay  hold 
of  any  plan,  to  exhaust  every  scheme,  to  seek 
out  and  perfect  any  contrivance,  whereby  the 
interests  of  humanity,  the  interests  of  religion, 
the  interests  of  truth  and  virtue,  may  be  sub- 
served." 

"  We've  heard  enough !  "  exclaimed  the  blear- 
eyed,  red-nosed  politician,  impatiently  ;  "  we've 
heard  enough  !  "  he  repeated,  adding  a  profane 
oath,  which  we  prefer  to  omit. 

'•  It  is  the  duty  of  the  incumbent  of  the  pul- 
pit," said  the  speaker,  heeding  not  the  vaporing 
of  the  demagogue  toper,  "  to  make  himself  felt 
in  all  the  relations  of  life;  throughout  all  the 
ramifications  of  society,  and  in  every  laudable 
enterprise  looking  to  the  amelioration  of  our 


race." 


"  He  has  enough  to  do  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel," observed  one  of  the  secesh  clergymen, 
with  affected  gravity,  and  a  look  of  hypocritical 
piety. 


6* 


54  THE   STARS   AND    BARS 


"  While  he  contends  eiirnestlv  for  the  faith 
once  deUvered  to  the  saints,"  responded  the 
speaker,  "  he  should  plead  with  no  less  zeal  for 
the  principles  of  liberty,  justice,  and  humanity." 

''  There,  —  listen  at  that !  "  cried  out  a  fire- 
eater  ;  "  llberf//,  he  says.  Aha  !  he  means  that 
the  niofo;ers  are  to  be  free !     He's  nothino;  but 

CO  o 

an  abolitionist." 

'^  Hang  him !  shoot  him !  tar  and  feather 
him!"  cried  the  mob.  And  now  another  rush 
was  made  toward  the  pulpit,  by  the  infuriated 
ruffians ;  whereupon,  Malvin  agiun  drew  his 
revolver. 

One  of  the  secesh  preachers,  who  stood  near 
him,  the  same  who  recommended  hemp  for  the 
Union  minister,  seized  the  weai^on  in  Malviu's 
hand,  and  attempted  to  wrench  it  from  his 
grasp  ;  in  so  doing  he  caused  the  pistol  to  go 
off.  The  ball. passed  through  the  Rev.  traitor's 
hand,  and,  thence  o^lancins^  alono^  the  side  of  his 
head,  took  one  of  his  ears  nearly  off,  iind,  pass- 
ing on  in  an  upward  direction,  lodged  in  the 
body  of  the  blackleg,  who  had  just  mounted 
on  a  pew  behind    the  secesh  preacher,  taking 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OP  TERROR.  55 

him,  as  a  sailor  would  say,  between  wind  and 
water. 

This  tragical  afiair  produced  an  indescribable 
scene  of  confusion.  Women  shrieked,  men  were 
terrified,  and  a  general  stampede  straightway 
ensued.  Nor  could  anything  have  been  more 
ludicrous  to  look  upon.  Many  rushed  for  the 
doors,  while  others,  in  their  great  haste  to  es- 
cape, went  heels  over  head  out  at  the  win- 
dows. 

The  church  was  soon  cleared ;  and  the  people, 
having  got  a  thorough  panic,  ran  in  every  di- 
rection, like  a  frightened  herd  of  wild  cattle. 
The  blackleg,  who  carried  off  the  lead,  went  out 
crying  " MiuxleVy'  as  loud  as  he  could  bellow. 
And  the  unlucky  clergyman,  making  sure  he 
had  received  a  mortal  wound,  made  all  possible 
speed  toward  home,  calling  on  God  at  every 
jump  to  have  mercy  on  his  poor  soul. 

Malvin  took  his  aged  pastor  by  the  arm  and 
proposed  to  accompany  him  home. 

"  Have  you  another  pistol,  my  boy  ? "  in- 
quired the  hoary-headed  patriot ;  "  we  may  be 
attacked  on  our  way." 


56  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

"  A  capital  one ; "  answered  Malvin,  taking 
from  bis  bosom  a  splendid  revolver,  wbicb  tbe 
minister  took,  saying,  — 

"  Tbere  is  a  time  for  praying,  tbere  is  a  time 
for  preacbing,  and  tbere  bas  now  come  a  time  for 
sbooting." 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


67 


CHAPTER    lY. 


"How  wisdom  and  folly  meet,  mix,  and  unite; 
How  virtue  and  vice  blend  their  black  and  white  I " 


,0D  never  intended  men  to  be 
equal.  There  must  be  an  aris- 
tocracy," said  Macqueen,  ad- 
dressing his  wife,  and  putting 
on  an  air  and  tone  of  ostenta- 
tion. 

"Aristocracy  1 "  answered  she, 
scornfully  ;  "  I  can  respect  aristocracy  of  intel- 
lect ;  and  I  admire  aristocracy  in  virtue,  in  ami- 
ability, in  nobility  of  nature ;  but  an  aristoc- 
racy built  on  dollars  and  dimes,  or  on  slaves, 
houses,  and  lands,  which  any  dunce,  born  to 
good  luck,  may  possess,  I  hate,  loathe,  and  aJ3- 

horl" 

"Tm  in  no  mood  for  argument.     You  delight 
to  dash  my  highest  hopes  and  brightest  dreams 


68  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

to  the  ground.  I  cherish  but  a  laudable  am- 
bition, and,  but  for  you,  would  mount  up  to  dis- 
tinction." 

"Wondrous  pity  that  I  should  pull  you  back ! 
I  count  not  that  a  laudable  ambition,  my  hus- 
band, which  aims  at  sheer  selfish  ends.  To 
achieve  personal  aggrandizement,  you  would 
not  hesitate  to  bring  wretchedness  and  misery 
upon  millions  of  our  race.  For  your  own  glory, 
you  would  spill  seas  of  blood !  Such  an  am- 
bition is  unworthy  a  true  man,  unworthy  of  a 
noble  mind  3  it  is  even  Satanic,  and  merits  only 
scorn  and  contempt." 

"  Of  what  avail  is  all  this  raillery  ?" 

"  Call  it  raillery  if  you  like.  A  just  indigna- 
tion deserves  a  better  name." 

"When  I  see  its  justice,  I  will  then  christen 
it  some  thins;  else." 

"  The  blackness  of  the  treason  that  would  de- 
stroy a  government  like  this,  and  sunder  our 
glorious  Union,  no  tongue  can  tell,  no  pencil 
can  paint.  The  arch  apostate,  that  rebelled  in 
heaven,  conspiring  against  the  Almighty,  and 
who,  in  reckless  malice,  would   fain  have   de- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  59 

throned    the   Most   High,   scarce   exceeded    in 
wickedness  this  nefarious  treason  ! " 

"  And  still  you  rail !  " 

"Suppose  you  succeed  in  laying  in  ruins  the 
fair  fabric  of  this  mighty  Republic^  how  much 
better  off  will  you  be  than  Milton's  fallen 
angels  when  they  had  reached  the  depths  of 
perdition  ?  But,  like  them,  perhaps,  you'd 
^  rather  reign  in  hell  than  rserve  in  heaven/  " 

"  Come,  say  no  more." 

"  To  call  such  men  disloyal  is  not  enough  ; 
they  are  a  brotherhood  of  fiends !  And  may 
perdition  enlarge  itself  to  give  them  room  ! " 

"  How  strangely  to  my  ears  sound  such  words 
from  you,  Florence  I " 

"Why  should  I  not  feel  indignant  and  ag- 
grieved ?  Who  are  your  accomplices  in  this 
Satanic  work  ?  Herds  of  vicious,  idle,  dissipated 
men,  and  profligate  wretches,  who  have  nothing 
to  lose  by  change  and  revolution.  These,  led 
on  by  disappointed  politicians  and  unprincipled 
demagogues,  are  your  chief  abettors  in  sowing 
the  seeds  of  sedition,  kindling  the  fires  of  civil 
war,  and  rolling  on  the  dark  and  desolating 
wave  of  revolution." 


GO  THE   STARS   A^'D    BARS  ; 

"  Why  will  you  thus  go  on  hurling  bitter 
words  ?  You  have  ceased  to  be  yourself, 
Florence." 

"  Little  wonder ! " 

"  I  pray  you  put  by  that  frown,  and  speak  to 
me  in  gentler  tones.  Remember  that  '  words 
fitly  spoken  are  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures 
of  silver.' " 

"My  husband,  had  I  loved  you  less,  your 
fault  in  this  could  not  have  grieved  me  so.  The 
light  of  your  eye  has  ever  been  the  sunshine  of 
my  heart.  But  I  cannot  be  blind  to  your  ter- 
rible sin.  Oh,  let  me  persuade  you,  by  all  that's 
sacred,  by  all  we  each  hold  dear,  to  abandon  this 
wicked,  reckless  project  of  revolution.  Oh,  I 
entreat  you,  be  not  partaker  in  the  guilt  of 
those  who  are  insanely  kindling  a  fire  which  all 
the  waters  of  the  deep  seas  cannot  quench  !  — a 
fire  which  will  surely  devour  this  fair  land,  and 
make  it  a  desert  waste  ! " 

"She  may  predict  the  truth,"  said  the  hus- 
band to  himself,  turning  away  dejected;  "but  to 
retract  is  now  impossible,"  he  added,  mentallv. 
Directly  turning  again  to  his  wife,  and  putting 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  61 

on  a  look  of  utter  wretchedness,  he  said,  ^'  To 
own  the  truth,  Florence,  so  far  have  I  committed 
myself  in  this  affair,  I  cannot  now  recede  from 
the  anfortunate  position  I  occupy.  Revolution 
is  determined  on  ;  I  am  sworn,  and  cannot  re- 
cant." 

"  Merciful  Heaven  !  "  exclaimed  the  wife, 
clasping  her  hands  convulsively,  and  in  the 
agony  of  grief 

"  To  do  otherwise,  at  this  juncture,  than  go 
forward,"  said  he,  "  would  cost  me  my  life." 

"Oh,  tell  me  not  so,  my  husband*  Oh,  it 
cannot  be  that  you  are  involved  in  a  scheme  of 
treason  so  dreadful,  so  deep  and  dark,  that 
you  cannot  extricate  yourself!" 

"  Peace,    Florence  !  I  pray  you,  peace  1 " 

"At  all  hazards  abandon  the  conspiracy  at 
once  and  forever  ! " 

"  The  nature  and  extent  of  this  revolutionary 
plot  you  little  comprehend,  Florence.  Nor  have 
you  dreamed  of  the  reckless  determination  with 
which  it  is  to  be  carried  out.  Rather  than 
fail,  the  most  desperate  measures  are  to  be  re- 
sorted to." 

6 


62  THE   STARS    ANi)    BARS  ; 

"Alas,  and  I  have  not  known  the  worst !  " 
"  Let  us  hope  for  the  best,"  said  the  husband, 
evidently    much    moved,  yet    striving    to    ap- 
pear composed. 

"  Hope  ?  there  is  no  hope  ! "  exclaimed  the 
weeping  w-ife  ;  "  all  is  darkness  and  despair." 

Macqiieen,  in  character,  was  a  real  Southern' 
er,  —  a  Southerner  of  the  higher  class.  He  was 
a  man  of  hot  blood,  quick  temper,  and  ungov- 
erned  passions.  He  w-as  kind  and  cruel ;  polite 
and  rucTe ;  magnanimous  and  supercilious ; 
chivalric  and  pusillanimous. 

A  being  of  impulse,  he  seldom  paused  to  re- 
flect, and  rarely  looked  before  he  leaped.  By 
nature  rash  and  precipitant,  had  he  possessed  a 
lower  grade  of  intellect,  his  life  would  have 
been  one  of  broils  and  combat.  And,  notwith- 
standing his  fair  mental  capacit}?",  and  his  re- 
spectable literar}^  attainments,  his  animal  pas- 
sions were  dominant,  and,  for  the  most  part, 
controlled  his  actions. 

With  a  hearty  good-will  he  would  either  bless 
or  curse  you  as  the  humor  might  take  him.     He 


OR,    THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  63 

cherished  a  keen  sense  of  honor  ;  but  had  a 
very  bkmt  perception  as  to  what  true  honor 
consisted  in.  He  respected  rehgion,  but  pro- 
faned the  name  of  God.  Feared  hell,  but  loved 
to  serve  the  devil.  He  worshipped  a  line  horse  ; 
liked  dogs  ;  was  deferential  to  ministers  ;  polite 
to  ladies ;  and  always  had  an  eye  for  the  cream- 
colored  Creole  in  crinoline. 

Mrs.  Macqueen  was  a  native  of  Alabama,  and 
altogether  Southern  in  her  manners  and  educa- 
tion, but  had  become  something  moi^e  than  the 
real  Southern  lady.  She  was  a  w^oman  of 
thought  and  reflection.  Yet,  at  the  same  time, 
was  not  without  the  fire  peculiar  to  Southern 
blood.  She  was  quick,  ardent,  sensitive,  and 
sometimes  fearfully  impetuous.  When  un- 
excited,  few  women  or  few  men  exercised  more 
philosophy.  And  with  a  strong  intellect  she 
united  a  warm  and  generous  heart. 

To  her  husband's  w^hims  and  wayward  inclina- 
tions she  had  been  habitually  indulgent, —  even 
to  a  fault.  But  touching  the  question  of  the 
Union;  she  was  inflexible  from  the  beginnmg, 


G4 


THE   STARS    AND    BARS  ; 


and  utterly  abhorred  the  madness  of  secession. 
This  brought  their  proud  spirits  and  fiery  na- 
tures into  frequent  and  sometimes  •  terrible  col- 
lision. 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


65 


CHAPTER    V. 


"  WTien  \'ice  prevails,  and  impious  men  bear  sway, 
The  post  of  honor  is  a  private  station." 


ANGUINARY     revolutions     seldom 
fail  to  bring  to  the  surface  the  vil- 
est, most   reckless,   and  abandoned 
class  of  men.     This  was  particular- 
ly exemplified  at  Platte  City,  in  the 
infamous    career    of    a    despicable 
.wretch,  whose  name  was  Ironsides, 
but  more  commonly  called  Ironheart,  on  account 
of  his  great  cruelty  to  his  slaves.      He  was  a 
man   of  colossal   stature,   stooping   figure,  and 
by  no  means  comely  features.     Skin,  swarthy ; 
hair,  coarse  and  grizzled ;  eyes,  black  as  night, 
and   almost   hidden  beneath   a   heavy,  shaggy 
brow,  such  as  pirates  are^wont  to  wear. 

•No  man  could  have  been  more  universally 
despised  than  was  Ironsides.     Black  and  white, 


6* 


60  THE   STARS    AND   BARS; 

male  and  female,  rich  and  poor,  held  him  in 
great  detestation  and  utter  abhorrence.  By 
those  who  knew  him  best,  he  was  said  to  be 
without  a  redeeming  trait. 

That  humanity  is  capable  of  such  depravity, 
we  may  feel  some  reluctance  to  admit;  for  it 
certainly  would  be  comforting  to  think  that 
there  is  something  good  in  every  man.  But  if 
there  was  any  mixture  of  the  angel  in  the  soul 
of  this  human  brute,  no  one,  it  seems,  had  ever 
found  it  out. 

Yet,  reprobate  as  he  was,  depraved  and  vile 
as  everybody  admitted  him  to  be,  in  the  com- 
motions of  the  country  he  was  directly  brought 
to  the  surface,  —  and  even  lifted  above  it,  —  ex- 
alted to  an  emmence,  where  he  soon  gained 
sufficient  influence,  by  the  help  of  the  Devil,  to 
wield  despotic  power  for  a  time,  and  rule  the 
people  with  a  rod  of  iron. 

"  For  desperate  times  ive  need  desperate  men,^'  said 
the  plotting  rebels  who  pulled  the  wires  behind 
the  curtain.  "  Let  us  give  Ironsides  the  reins, 
at  least  while  the  storm  lasts.  Rest  assured 
he'll  quickly  rid  the  country  of  Union  men  and 
abolitionists." 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  C7 

A  Vigilant  Committee  had  already  been  ap- 
pointed ;  but  as  they  had  only  hung  and  shot 
some  half-dozen  Union  men  within  a  fortnight, 
they  were  reckoned,  by  the  impatient  chivalry, 
as  quite  too  lenient.  Secession  was  moving  too 
tardily.  To  remedy  this  matter,  it  was  now 
deemed  expedient  to  make  Ironsides  the  "  Head 
Chiefs'  of  the  vigilant  committee. 

Soon  after  his  appointment  to  this  post  of 
honor,   over  the  Border-ruffian  Sanhedrim,  the 
names  of  several  prominent  citizens  were  writ- 
ten down  for  ostracism,  and  among  them  was 
the  name  of  a  descendant  of  the   New  York 
Knickerbockers,— an  eccentric  bachelor,  slightly 
turned  upon  the  shady  side  of  life.     He  was  a 
man  of  lofty  bearing  and  decidedly  aristocratic 
mould,  a  fine   scholar,  possessed  rare  scientific 
attainments,   and  was  by  profession  a  lawyer. 
Highly-organized,   and   made   out    of    Nature's 
finest  material,  he  was  consequently  sensitive 
and  excitable.     Thus  constituted,  he  was  quick 
to  resent  gross   insults    and    injuries,  although 
habitually  kind  and  conciliatory. 

His  utter  scorn  of  the  brutal  mob,  the  vulgar 


68  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

herd,  and  unwashed  rabble,  he  seldom  cared  to 
disguise.  You  should  have  seen  him,  one  day, 
as  he  stood  upon  the  curbstone,  a  few  paces 
from  the  threshold  of  his  office,  gazing  with 
kindling  ire  upon  an  armed  band  of  marauding 
rebels  who  were  ostentatiously  parading  up 
and  down  the  streets.  As  appears  the  sky 
when  it  gathers  blackness  and  tempest,  so 
looked  Knickerbocker's  face,  darkened  with 
wrath.  And  as  the  lightning  leaps  from  the 
fretted  bosom  of  the  thunder-cloud,  so  flashed 
the  fires  of  indignation  from  his  blazing  eye. 
Manifestly  the  spirit  of  the  hurricane  and  of 
the  whirlwind  was  there,  and  with  difficulty 
held  in  restraint ;  but  the  storm  was  not  yet 
allowed  to  burst  forth.  At  length,  turning 
about,  he  walked  into  his  office,  resolving  in  his 
mind  to  keep  a  bridle  upon  his  tongue,  if  not  a 
padlock  on  his  mouth. 

Upon  his  table  had  just  been  laid  an  unsealed 
letter  by  an  unobserved  messenger. 

^•A  missive^  eh!"  said  he  to  himself;  "from 
what  quarter,  I  wonder?" 

Taking  up,  and  opening  the  note,  he  began 
to  read  audibly :  — 


DB,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR. 


69 


" '  Mr.  Knickerbocker,  —  Sir :  as  chairman  of 
the  Vigilant  Committee  of  Platte  City/ " — 
Here,  suddenly  pausing,  he  indignantly  ex- 
claimed, "Viligant  Committee!  An  infernal 
banditti,  who  take  it  upon  themselves  to  say 
who  shall  be  hanged;  who  banished  the  coun- 
try; who  tarred  and  feathered;  or  who  jay- 
hawked  !  Heavens  !  I'm  highly  honored  1  What 
have  such  cut-throats  to  do  with  me  ?  " 

While  thus  exploding,  he  dashed  some  two  or 
three  times  across  the  floor,  from  one  side  of  his 
office  to  the  other,  seemingly  unconscious  of 
where  he  was  or  what  he  did.  After  a  while, 
calming  himself  a  little,  he  again  read,  " '  It  is 
made  my  duty  to  acquaint  you  with  the  senti- 
ments of  the  Committee,  touching  your  posi- 
tion, and  what  is  required  of  you.' "  Again 
abruptly  breaking  off  and  kindling  into  a  pas- 
sion, he  wheeled  round  and  began  striding  the 
floor,  reiterating,  in  the  most  excited  manner, 
the  last  read  sentence, —  "  ^  Touching  your  po- 
sition, and  what  is   required  of  you!' 

"  The  impudent  hounds !    The  unhung  assas- 
sins  and   thieves!     The  hell-deserving  fiends! 


70  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  ; 

Oh,  there's  no  use  huntmg  epithets,  —  I  can't 
do  the  demons  justice ! " 

Again  he  paused  to  read  :  — 

" '  Permit  me,  sir,  to  say,  that  your  queer, 
uneuphonious  name  has  led  to  the  suspi- 
cion '  —  Queer,  uneuphonious  name  ?  "  he  iter- 
ated, with  astonishment  and  disgust;  "what 
miserable  taste  the  fellow  has!  —  Knick  —  er 
—  bock  —  er,  —  was  there  ever  a  better  sound- 
ing name  than  that?" 

Again  reading :  "  ^  Has  led  to  the  suspicion 
that  your  political  faith  may  not  be  entirely 
orthodox.' 

"  Prodigious !  Have  I  lived  to  see  the  day 
when  a  man's  name  may  place  him  under 
ban?"  Then  again  reading:  "-We  are  every 
day  the  more  convinced  that  the  foreign  popu- 
lation in  our  midst  constitute  a  dang-erous  ele- 
ment  of  society.' 

"  Oh,  ho !  they've  set  me  down  for  a  foreigner, 
because,  forsooth,  my  name's  Knickerbocker !  — 
The  blockheads ! " 

Still  perusing  the  letter:  "^And  it  is  now 
deemed  expedient  to  test  their  loyalty  to  the 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OP  TERROR.  71 

South,  by  requiring  them  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  North.' 

"  0  magnanimous  Committee  !  This  is  ^me- 
thing  worthy  of  Southern  chivalry,"  he  ex- 
claimed with  bitter  irony  ;  then  went  on  with 
the  letter :  " '  Now,  sir,  to  come  at  once  to  an 
ultimatum,  you  must  straightway  join  the  army 
of  the  South  ;  or  forthwith  make  tracks  for  the 
North.' 

"The  Devil!"  he  exclaimed,  unable  to  re- 
strain his  wrath  any  longer;  and,  tearing  the 
offensive  letter  to  pieces,  flung  the  fragments  to 
the  winds,  saying, — 

"  Let  the  dog- star  rage  1  Let  the  caldron 
boil,  froth,  and  foam !  Stir  in  foul  treason, 
treachery,  lechery,  and  all  vileness  and  all 
villany !  Satan  admire  me,  if  the  infernal  clan 
haven't  kindled  a  fire  that  will  smoke  their  own 
eyes!  Heaven  grant  them  good  speed  hell- 
wards  !  By  Saint  Paul,  perdition  shall  hold 
them  all !  For  sure  as  old  Hangie  wears  horns, 
they  are  the  Devil's  own  ! " 

At  this  juncture,  an  intimate  acquaintance, 
Mr.  Clifton  Clifford,  entered  the  office,  and, 
seeing  his  friend  in  a  fume,  said, — 


72  THE  STARS   AXD   BARS  ; 

"Pray,  what  has  happened,  Mr.  Knicker- 
bocker?" 

'-  ^h,  these  provoking  rebels,  instigated  by  a 
legion  of  devils,  have  just  struck  a  lucifer  match 
against  the  saltpetre  of  my  combustible  na- 
ture !  So,  of  course,  I  went  ofl^  throwing  shot 
and  shell  into  the  air  frightfully;  and  the 
only  pity  is,  that  I've  killed  nobody." 

"  But  what,  in  the  name  of  wonder,  has  tran- 
spired to  set  you  in  such  a  flutter  ?  " 

"  Why,  sir,  I've  just  been  honored  with  a  note 
from  the  Great  Moguls  of  this  part  of  Rebel- 
dom,  —  devildom,  —  coolly  informing  me  that 
I've  got  to  leave  the  country,  or  join  the  secesh 
army ! " 

"Andis  that  all?" 

"  All  ?  Count  you  that  a  small  affair  ?  Who 
ever  heard  before  of  such  an  outrage  ?  " 

"Be  comforted,  my  dear  fellow;  I've  just 
received  a  missive  of  the  same  kind." 

"There's  a  vast  deal  of  comfort  in  that! 
And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  we  must  bend  a  little  to  the  wind ;  wear 
a   nose   of    wax   for   convenience,  —  incline   it 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  73 

toward  the  South ;  put  on  a  make-believe  face, 
—  and  talk  secesh." 

"Would  I  be  forced  to  seem  the  thing  I 
scorn  ?  " 

^Oh,  that's  but  strategy.  When  the  Moguls 
take  snufF,  you  and  I  must  sneeze." 

"  I'll  be  shot  first !  " 

"  Have  your  choice,  Mr.  Knickerbocker.  A 
man  of  my  complexion  never  dies  a   martyr." 

"  Our  murdered  patriots  shall  be  avenged  !  — 
Blood  for  blood !     I've  sworn  it ! " 

^'  My  dear  sir,  forget  not  where   you  are." 

"  Let  traitors  do  their  worst ;  I'll  fight  them 
while  I've  life  and  breath  ! " 

''  Keep  cool,  —  I  entreat  you,  keep  cool." 

"  Talk  to  a  volcano  about  keeping  cool,  —  the 
red-mouthed  volcano  ! " 

"  The  fellow's  going  mad ! "  said  Clifford, 
aside  ;  ''  I  fear  he'll  get  himself  into  trouble." 

'''  Would  to  God  I  were  another  Vesuvius ! " 
continued  the  excited  patriot,  "and  that  the 
whole  generation  of  vile  traitors  were  packed 
and  cribbed  in  Charleston.  I'd  belch  a  torrent 
of  consuming,  hissing,  liquid  fire  on  that  Soclom, 


74     •  THE  STARS   AND  BARS; 

till  it  was  buried  a  thousand  fathoms  deeper 
than  Pompeii  or  Herculaneum  !  " 

"  Hold,  sir,  I  pray  you,  hold  ! " 

"The  last  traitor  should  perish,  —  miserably 
perish!  Blistering  cinders,  lurid  flames,  and 
rolling,  quivering  waves  of  dire  combustion 
should  overwhelm  and  fry  every  treacherous 
rascal  of  them  to  a  crackling !  " 

"  Misery  and  death  ! "  whispered  Clifford  to 
himself;  "he'll  surely  be  shot  before  he*s  done 
raving." 

"Not  one  of  all  the  God-forgotten  and 
heaven-abhorred  reprobates  should  escape ! 
'Neath  melted  rocks,  and  the  crisped,  spewed-up 
earth  and  ore,  I'd  entomb  them  beyond  the  hope 
of  a  resurrection." 

"  My  dear  sir,  you  rage  like  the  sea." 

"  Let  me  be  the  ragcino:  sea,  or  another 
Noah's  flood,  that  I  may  drown  the  whole  rebel 
brood ! "  And,  wheeUng  about,  he  dashed  out 
upon  the  street  like  a  madman. 

"  Wild  as  the  wind ! "  exclaimed  his  friend. 
"I,  too,  love  my  country  ;  but  am  not  over-anx- 
ious to  prove  it  by  putting  m}^  head  into  a  lion's 
mouth,  or  pulling  the  Devil  by  the  tail." 


OK,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR. 


75 


CHAPTER    YI. 


"  O  God,  -what  mischiefs  work  the  ■nicked  ones ; 
Heaping  confusion  on  their  own  heads  thereby  I  ^ 


N  a  sequestered  part  of  Platte  City, 
or  rather  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
town,  there  was  a  verdant  spot, 
where  nestled  a  pretty  little  vine- 
clad  cottage,  embowered  'neath  um- 
brageous forest  trees,  luxuriantly 
clothed  with  deep-green  glossy 
leaves.  Around  the  window  casements,  and 
about  the  eaves,  I  have  seen  creeping  the  ivy- 
green  and  honeysuckle.  What  a  tempting,  ruby 
cup  of  nectar  the  latter  offered  to  the  hum- 
ming-bird !  a  feathered  beauty  of  exquisite 
plumage_,  dyed  in  the  hues  of  the  rainbow. 
How  oft  with  delight  I've  gazed  upon  it,  while 
poised  in  air  upon  its  delicate  wings,  and  sipping 
delicious  wine  from  the  blushing  blossom  gob- 


76  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  : 


let,  which  seemed  formed  and  fashioned  for  it 
alone. 

About  the  door,  on  either  side,  and  overhead, 
yon  might  have  seen  the  morning-glory  unfold 
its  beauty,  —  pink  ana  purple,  sky-blue  and 
purest  white,  giving  an  air  of  taste,  sweetness, 
and  comfort  to  the  humble  dwelhng.  This  was 
the  domicile  of  Parson  Southdown,  the  only 
loyal  minister  then  in  the  community,  or  in  all 
the  region  round. 

The  day  of  which  I  am  about  to  speak  was 
one  of  tumult  and  excitement  in  Platte  City. 
Companies  of  armed  men,  gangs  of  ruffians, 
gentlemen  and  scallawags,  women  and  children, 
old  men  and  boys,  white  trash  and  black  trash, 
were  pouring  into  town  from  every  quarter. 

Mrs.  Southdown  was  sitting  alone  at  her  front 
window,  and  looking  out  with  a  sad  heart  and 
melancholy  expression  upon  the  swelling  throng, 
thinking  of  her  far-off  New-England  home,  and 
rueing  the  day  on  which  she  had  consented  to 
go  to  the  land  of  the  oppressed. 

"  Alas !  "  said  she,  "  what's  to  become  of  us 
in  this  lawless  country,  where  the  mob  rules  and 
vilest  men  bear  sway  ?  " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  77 

Just  at  this  moment,  Knickerbocker  ente/ed 
the  gate-way. 

"  Good-morningj  Uncle!"  said  Mrs.  South- 
down, speaking  from  the  open  window,  "I've 
been  wishing  you'd  come ;  I'm  so  lonesome  to- 
day." 

^'You  may  soon  wish  me  gone  again,"  re- 
sponded he,  and  coming  in  with  a  twinkle  of 
humor  in  his  eye ;  "  for  I've  got  old  Nick  in  me 
to-day,  big  as  a  lion  and  savage  as  a  regiment 
of  tigers." 

"  Oh,  I  hope  not.  Pray,  who  has  crossed 
you  ?  " 

"  Who  ?  Just  look  at  these  Border-ruffians, 
pouring  down  like  driftwood  and  floating  trash 
on  a  swollen  stream,  just  after  a  deluging  rain. 
One  might  think  purgatory  had  taken  a  vomit. 
Such  a  generation  of  vipers  is  enough  to  cross 
St.  Peter." 

"What  we  cannot  cure  we  must  endure, 
Uncle." 

"  I  have  endured  everything,  and  held  my 
tongue  and  temper  marvellously.  But  now  to 
see  those  ragamuffins  coming  in  to  disturb  the 

7* 


78  THE  STARS    AKD   BARS; 

peace  of  society  provokes  me.  Well,  well,  'tis 
said,  '  Every  dog  must  have  his  day  ; '  and  I 
suppose  every  day  must  have  its  dog.  This  one 
has  a  good  many,  and  all  sorts.  Where  is  Par- 
son Southdown  ?  " 

"  Gone  to  the  post-office,  I  think." 

'^  The  mail  of  late  lags  behind.  An  overload 
of  bad  report,  mixed  up  with  rebel  lies,  perhaps, 
makes  it  stick  in  the  mud." 

"  If  rebel  lies  had  weight.  Uncle,  Missouri 
mail-coaches,  these  unblessed  days,  would  sure 
break  down." 

"  Ha !  the  very  earth  would  reel,  crack,  and 
cave  in." 

^^  I  dread  to  hear  the  news  that's  next  to  sa- 
lute our  ears." 

"  To  borrow  trouble  is  but  to  tickle  the  devil. 
Come  good,  come  ill,  fortune's  wheel  turn  which 
way  it  will,  keep  you  a  cheerful  heart,  Amelia." 

"  Did  you  hear  the  uproar  on  the  street  last 
night,  Uncle  ?  " 

"  Hear  it  ?  My  ears  are  not  made  of  lead, 
nor  quite  deaf  to  what  might  wake  the  dead. 
Such  an  everlasting  din  was  kept  up  the  live- 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  79 

long  night,  I  thought  surely  hell  was  empty, 
and  that  all  the  yelling  demons  were  here  in 
Platte  City." 

"  What  could  it  mean,  —  have  you  any  con- 
jecture ?" 

"  Why,  it  meant  that  His  Majesty,  Auld  Nick- 
aben,  had  some  special  business  on  hand,  and 
must  needs  marshal  his  Border-ruffian  clans." 
"  They  whooped  and  howled  most  hideously." 
"  Just  like  any  other  gang  of  prowling  beasts, 
hungry  wolves,  or  hooting  owls.  That  horrid 
jfell,  which  split  the  ear  of  midnight,  was  in 
honor,  I  imagine,  of  the  Swamp  Angels,  who 
came  into  town  at  a  late  hour  in  the  evening, 
for  the  purpose  of  being  organized  into  a  guer- 
rilla band." 

"  Swamp  Angels  ?     Pray,  what  are  they  ?  " 
"  Animals  with  two  legs  and  no  feathers." 
"  Not  flying  angels,  then,  it  would  seem  ?  " 
"  Unfledged  as  yet ;  though  in  the  wind  you'd 
think   them   winged,   their    tattered    garments, 
many-colored  rags,  and  dishevelled  hair  such  a 
strange  fluttering  make.     A  herd  of  miserable 
creatures   they   are  that   inhabit  a  pestiferous 


80  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

region  in  a  bend  of  the    river   among   dismal 
swamps. 

'  Their  onTy  wish  and  their  only  prayer, 
Their  only  hope,  and  their  only  care. 
For  the  present  world,  or  the  world  to  come, 
Is  a  string  of  fish  and  a  jug  of  rum.' 

"Admirable  material  for  guerrillas!  Of  such 
stuff,  I  suppose,  they  should  be  made." 

^'  Your  husband  is  returning  " 

"  Has  the  paper,  I  perceive." 

"  If  I  read  his  face  aright,  there's  something 
more  in  the  wind  than  the  perfume  of  sw5et 
flowers.  There's  a  cloud  upon  his  brow  and 
displeasure  in  his  eye." 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Knickerbocker  !  "  said 
Southdown,  as  he  approached  the  threshold, 
makingr  an  effort  to  maintain  his  usual  air,  and 
accustomed  cheerful  greeting. 

"  We've  already  read  the  news,  parson,"  face- 
tiously remarked  Knickerbocker,  "in  your  speak- 
ing eye  and  tell-tale  face,  ere  your  lips  could 
part,  or  your  tongue  wag  to  tell  us  what  it  is." 

"  Say,  then,  if  you  can  divine,  what  news  do  I 
bring  ?  " 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  81 

"  Nothing,  I  ween,  to  provoke  our  laughter. 
I'll  guess  the  devil  has  broke  his  halter." 

"  Right  for  once,  Mr.  Knickerbocker." 

"  Pray,  let  us  hear,"  said  Mrs.  Southdown, 
impatiently. 

"  Fort  Sumter  has  fallen ! " 

"  Alas !  and  what  will  happen  next  ? "  ex- 
claimed the  lady,  raising  her  hands  in  conster- 
nation, as  if  expecting,  the  next  moment,  to  feel 
the  nation's  convulsions,  as  well  she  might  after 
such  an  event. 

Knickerbocker  assumed  a  similar  attitude,  and 
stood  for  some  moments  profoundly  silent,  and 
without  the  sign  of  motion  or  the  movement  of 
a  muscle. 

"  A  sad  affair ! "  observed  the  parson.  "  The 
infatuated  beings  know  not  what  they  do." 

"  Perdition  take  the  whole  traitor  crew  ! "  said 
Knickerbocker,  with  emphasis;  and,  becoming 
much  excited,  began  to  promenade  to  and  fro 
across  the  floor  with  nervous  and  rapid  strides. 

"  Patience,  Uncle,  patience  !  "  insisted  Mrs. 
Southdown.  "It  is  a  time  for  humility  and 
prayer." 


82  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

"  If  there  ever  was  a  time  to  curse  and 
swear/'  whispered  Knickerbocker  to  himself,  "  it 
strikes  me  that  it's  about  now."  Then  turning 
to  Mrs.  Southdown,  he  said,  "  Well,  well ;  I'll  take 
it  patiently,  since  you  advise  me  so,  Amelia." 

"  We  may  now  look  for  the  transpiring  of 
startling  events,"  remarked  Southdown.  "  By 
this  time,"  continued  he,  "  the  Northern  heart's 
on  fire  !     Yankee  blood  boils  in  Yankee  veins!" 

"  So  it  does,"  said  Knickerbocker  aside ; 
"mine  boils  me  out  of  my  boots, —  almost!" 

"At  the  same  time,"  continued  the  parson, 
"all  Dixie's  in  a  flame,  —  a  consuming,  wide- 
wasting  flame  !  Southern  blood  goes  galloping 
through  Southern  veins,  scalding  hot ! " 

"  From  blind  passion  and  bad  whiskey,"  re- 
sponded Knickerbocker  dryly. 

"  Here  comes  my  colored  friend,"  said  Parson 
Southdown,  looking  toward  the  door.  "  Walk 
in,  Uncle  Ned." 

"Black  outside,  but  not  so  dark  within  as 
many  a  man  of  fairer  skin,"  soliloquized  Knick- 
erbocker, mentally,  as  the  slave  entered,  hat' in 
hand,  and  bowing  at  every  step  with  all  the 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  83 

politeness,  if  not  with  all  the  grace  of  a  French 
dancino;-"naster. 

^"  Massa  Soufdown/'  began  the  colored  man, 
"Ps  actily  furd  yoii's  gwien  to  ave  tribulation- 
some  times.  For  I  tells  ye  what,  de  Ole  Boy's 
onhobbled !  You  jist  orter  see  de  white  trash 
dat's  crowdin'  'bout  de  taverns,  and  fillin'  de 
rum-holes,  an  swearin'  like  de  bery  heathens  ! " 

"A  bad  set  of  fellows,  I  dare  say,  Uncle  Ned," 
replied  the  parson. 

"  De  wustest  men  dis  side  of  de  bad  place ! " 
continued  the  slave ;  "  an'  de  streets  am  chock- 
full  ob  dem.  All  de  unhung,  an'  all  what  de 
Debil  hain't  kotch,  hab  come  to  town !  I  pray 
de  Lor  A'mighty  dat  de  yarth  may  open  an' 
swaller  dem  up  as  Jonah  did  de  whale  ! " 

"  What  are  they  going  to  do.  Uncle  Ned  ?  " 

"  Why,  Massa,  der's  nuffin  bad  an'  bomnable 
dat  da  won't  do.  An'  dat  ole  sarvant  ob  de 
Debil,  what  da  call  Ironheart,  he  say  dat  Parson 
Soufdown  ab  no  business  comin'  down  Souf  no 
'ow.  An'  furdermore,  he  sweared  by  all  dat's 
good,  an'  all  dat's  bad,  and  all  dat's  wus  an' 
more  wusser,  dat  da'll  hang  Parson  Soufdown, 


84  THE   STARS   AXD   BARS  ; 

an'  all  de  dam  Yankees  whomsumebber,  dat  dar 
stan  up  for  de  star  an'  stripes." 

"  The  miserable  traitor  ! " 

"An' jis  den,  dat  ole  Judas,  preacher  Snooks, 
who  am  de  Debil's  own  mouf-piece,  steps  right 
up  an'  said,  says  he,  'We'll  hang  dat  Union 
preacher  higher  nor  Haman  I '  How  high  da 
hung  dat  gent'man  dis  darky  can't  'zactly  say, 
sar.  But  I  kinder  'spect  it  wor  purty  well  up 
in  de  ar." 

"  Ah,  Uncle  Ned,  bad  men  will  get  their  de- 
serts, by  and  by,"  remarked  the  parson ;  "  but 
don't  be  alarmed  about  me.  Depend  upon  it,  I 
wasn't  born  to  be  hung." 

"  Oh,  ho !  Massa,  but  dat  doesn't  signify  nuffin  ; 
dem  ar  grillers  nebber  stops  for  dat.  Da  nebber 
'quires  who  am  born  for  de  gallus,  or  who  for  de 
tar  an'  fedders.  De  bestest  peoples  am  what  da 
sarve  de  wustest." 

"  Uncle  Ned  understands  the  reprobates,'" 
observed  Southdown  to  Knickerbocker.  "  He 
gives  them  their  true  character." 

"  May  de  good  Lor  A'mighty  'ave  mercy  on 
us  pour  critters!"  added    the   slave;   "for  de 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR.  85 

great  red  Dragon  'ave  shuck  off  him  chahi,  an's 
gwien  'bout  killin'  an'  clebowerin  1  It  make  de 
berry  hair  ob  my  head  stan'  straight  on  eand  !" 

"  What !  your  kinky  wool  stand  on  end,  Uncle 
Ned?"  questioned  the  parson,  humorously. 

"  Oh,  but  you  doesn't  comprehension  me.     I 
speaks  diabolical." 

"  Diabolical !  Mercy  on  us  ! "  exclaimed  Knick- 
erbocker  mischievously. 

^^  Uncle  Ned  means  parabolical,"  explained  the 

parson. 

"  Parzactly  1  dat  am  de  word.     I  couldn't  jist 
git  him  by  de  right  name.     Well,  den,  I's  'bout 
done  dischargin'  my  duty.     And  now  I  prays  de 
good  Lor  A'mighty  dat  we  all  mout  be  saved, 
'spacially  from  de  jay-hawkers  and  de  swamp 
angels,  an'  from  de  everlastin'  clutches  ob  de  Ole 
Boy,  who  am  gwien  'bout  seekin  to  debower! 
An'  fardermore,  may  de  good  bein'  'bove  de  sky 
bless  an'  marcifally  presarve  you  an'  me  an'  all 
de  dam  Yankees    ebrywhur  on  de  face  ob  de 
wide  yearth,  world  widout  eand." 

Saying  which,  the  good-hearted  slave  bowed 
adieu,  and  turned  about  to  depart. 


86  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

"  We  are  greatly  obliged  to  you,  Uncle  Ned," 
said  the  parson  ^  "  call  whenever  you  can." 

"You's  de  fust  white  man  dat  eber  -say  dat 
much  to  dis  poor  darky,  — '  Bleige  to  ye,  Uncle 
Ned.'  Oh,  dat  am  music  to  my  yur,  sweeter 
dan  de  sound  of  de  bugle  horn  !  " 

Again  bowing  adieu,  he  advanced  toward  the 
door,  when  another  thought  struck  him.  Turn- 
ing round,  he  said,  "Now  you  isn't  gwien  to  tell 
Massa  or  Misses  bout  what  I's  been  tellin  ye,  is 

ye?" 

"By  no  means.  Uncle  Ned,"  replied  Parson 
Southdown ;  "  rest  easy  on  that  score." 

"  But  I's  kinder  jubersom  ob  dis  ar  gentman." 

"  What,  of  me  ?  "  said  Knickerbocker ;  "  how 
is  that?" 

"  I  tells  you  case  wh}^  I  'members  one  day 
as  dis  darky  you  wor  passin  by,  ye  kinder  snuJBf 
de  win',  an  say  '  De  odor  ob  de  gentman  ob  color 
ar  mighty  undegreable.' " 

"Ah,  Uncle  Ned,  I'm  quite  over  that  now.  In 
my  nostrils  the  poor  slave  smells  so  much  better 
than  his  traitor  master  that  I  begin  to  reUsh  the 
odor  amazingly." 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  87 

"  When  dis  darky  you  de  better  knows,  he'll 
all  de  better  smell  in  your  nose." 

Now,  making  his  last  bow,  Uncle  Ned  with- 
drew, doubtless  blessed  with  a  sense  of  duty 
done. 

The  concourse  upon  the  streets,  already  im- 
mense, was  every  moment  increasing.  Though 
a  busy  season  of  the  year,  yet  almost  all  busi- 
ness was  laid  aside  and  neglected.  The  blood 
of  the  Border-ruffian  chivalry  was  up  ;  war  was 
in  their  hearts,  and  whiskey  running  down  their 
throats.  News  of  the  fall  of  Sumter  had  rapidly 
spread,  and  was  now  on  every  tongue.  As  cups 
and  canteens  went  round,  enthusiasm  kindled ; 
blood  waxed  warmer,  and  tongues  grew  longer. 

"  Only  see,"  said  Mrs.  Southdown,  "  how  the 
armed  ruffians  are  still  coming  into  town ;  what 
do  they  mean  ? " 

"  They  are  brought  together  to-day  by  various 
motives,"  replied  her  husband ;  ^^  one  is,  to  re- 
joice over  the  fall  of  Sumter.  Another  is,  to 
organize  more  jay-hawking  and  guerrilla  com- 


88  THE  STARS   AND   BAES  ; 

paiiies.  Still  another  object,  and,  perhaps,  the 
leading  one,  is  to  get  up  a  new  furor  in  favor  of 
secession,  and  to  deter  loyal  citizens  from  ex- 
pressing their  sentiments,  and  opposing  their 
project  of  taking  Missouri  out  of  the  Union." 

"  While  these  desperate  men,"  said  Mrs.  South- 
down, "are  every  day  robbing  and  murdering 
loyal  citizens,  wherever  they  find  them,  what 
security  have  we  ?  " 

^'I  must  admit,  we  are  not  safe.  But  how 
shall  we  help  ourselves  ?  I  see  no  remedy  un- 
less we  leave  the  country,  and  there  is  hazard 
in  that.  Every  family  that  have  yet  attempted 
to  leave  the  State,  and  carry  with  them  their 
personal  property,  have  been  robbed,  either  by 
their  disloyal  neighbors,  or  by  the  roving  bands 
of  jay-hawkers  that  are  infesting  every  part  of 
the  country." 

"I've  just  bethought  me  what  we'd  better 
do,"  said  the  eccentric  Knickerbocker;  "all 
things,  you  know,  are  honorable  in  war." 

"  Not  all  things.  Uncle ; "  objected  Mrs.  South- 
down. 

"  I  mean  honorable,  as  the  world  goes.     This, 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  89 

then,  I  propose :  that  we,  for  a  time,  dissemble, 
turn  secesh,  and  pretend  to  be  on  the.  side  of 
the  traitors.  Thus  we  may  not  only  make  our- 
selves safe  in  person  and  property,  but,  mean- 
while, play  spy  upon  the  disloyal  rascals.  And 
when  the  government  sends  troops  into  the 
State  to  protect  loyal  citizens  and  crush  the  re- 
bellion, which  no  doubt  will  be  done  after  a 
while,  then  we  can  show  our  colors,  and  come 
out  upon  the  black-hearted  traitors." 

"  Oh,  but  that  would  be  deception ! "  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Southdown,  chidingly. 

"  Knaves  are  only  fit  to  be  deceived,"  rejoined 
Knickerbocker. 

"  Say  not  so,  Uncle." 

"  To  be  honest  with  these  rogues,  conspirators, 
and  assassins  is  but  to  cast  pearls  before  swine." 

"  Let  us  be  honest,  Uncle,  if  the  stars  fall." 

"  First,  let  us  be  honest  to  ourselves,  Amelia, 
while  we're  among  wolves." 

"  How  differently  you  talk.  Uncle,  from  what 
you  ever  did  before.  Why,  it  was  but  yester- 
day you  were  ready  to  die  for  your  principles." 

"So  I  was;  but  to-day  Pm  not  quite  so  much 

8* 


90  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

in  the  spirit  of  dying  as  I  am  of  killing  some- 
body. .1  must  live  to  be  the  death  of  some  of 
these  assassins  who  have  murdered  their  loyal 
neighbors." 

"  Heaven  help  us !  I  know  not  what  we'd 
better  do." 

"  There  are  dark  plots  at  work,  perfidious  de- 
signs and  infernal  machinations  going  on ;  we 
must  find  them  out,  and,  if  possible,  expose  and 
defeat  them." 

"  If  such  a  course  were  justifiable,"  observed 
the  parson,  "  it  would  certainly  be  hazardous, 
surrounded  as  we  are  by  treacherous  and  reck- 
less men,  who  scruple  not  at  anything." 

"  I  will  press  neither  of  you  into  the  scheme  ; 
but  I'm  bound  to  try  my  hand,  for  the  first  time 
in  my  life,  at  a  game  of  duplicity." 

"  Surely,  Uncle,  you  cannot  be  serious." 

"Rest  assured  I  am.  Say  no  more.  I'll  go 
mingle  with  the  mob;  pat  the  dogs  on  the  back, 
and  be  the  fiercest  hound  in  the  pack ! " 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


91 


CHAPTER    YII. 


"  If  I'm  designed  yon  lordling's  slave, 
By  Nature's  law  designed, 
Why  was  an  independent  wish 
E'er  planted  in  my  mind  ?  " 


E  recur  again  to  the  persecutions 
of  the  youthful  patriot,  Adrian 
Malvin,  and  his  venerable  pas- 
tor, Rev.  Elmore.  And  here  we 
resume  a  leading-thread  of  our 
narrative,  which,  the  reader  may 
remember,  we  dropped  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  third  chapter. 

The  mob,  not  satisfied  with  their  disgraceful 
conduct  at  the  house  of  God  on  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, renewed  the  riot  in  the  evening,  about  sun- 
set, by  surrounding  the  parsonage,  and  hurling 
stones,  brickbats,  and  other  missiles  against  the 
Avindows  and  doors,  and,  meanwhile,  pouring 
forth   torrents   of    curses    and    profane    oaths, 


92  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

swearing  vengeance  against  all  Union  men  and 
opposers  of  secession. 

Anticipating  an  assault  upon  his  dwelling,  the 
parson  had  taken  the  precaution  to  send  his 
family  away  during  the  afternoon  ;  but  deter- 
mined, himself,  to  resist  as  long  as  he  could  any 
attempt  on  the  part  of  the  mob  to  enter  his 
house.  Malvin  pledged  himself  to  stand  by 
and  render  him  all  the  assistance  mthin  his 
power. 

On  seeing  the  rioters  coming,  they  had  hast- 
ened to  barricade  the  doors  and  windows  as  best 
they  could,  then,  seizing  their  Aveapons,  had 
taken  their  positions,  bravely  resolved,  if  the 
ruffians  broke  in,  to  make  it  cost  them  dearlv. 

The  assault  was  terrific ;  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  windows  were  demolished,  and  the  front- 
door wellnio;h  battered  down.  After  showerino* 
missiles  of  ever}^  description  upon  the  house  till 
they  were  tired,  th^  mob  desisted  for  a  time, 
and  went  off  to  a  drinkino;-saloon.  Takins^  ad- 
vantage  of  the  suspension  of  hostilities,  Malvin 
and  the  parson  went  vigorously  to  work  to 
strengthen  their  barricade,  by  piling  up  furni- 
ture against  the  doors  and  windows. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  93 

Three-quarters  of  an  hour  had  scarcely 
ekpsed  when  the  vile  clan  returned,  and  more 
turbulent,  profane,  and  boisterous  than  before. 
This  time,  the  mob  was  led  by  a  notorious  guer- 
rilla chief,  who,  with  his  murderous  band,,  had 
just  arrived  from  a  marauding  expedition,  and 
the  same  who,  but  a  few  days  before,  had  pur- 
sued Malvin  into  the  mountains  with  the  design 
of  taking  his  life. 

The  attack  was  now  made  with  much  greater 
violence  than  at  first,  and  the  door  and  barri- 
cade directly  gave  way. 

The  guerrilla  chief,  ambitious  to  display  his 
bravery,  and  eager  to  wreak  vengeance  upon 
Malvin,  whom  he  hated,  no  less  for  his  amiabili- 
ty and  refinement  of  manners  than  for  his  pa- 
triotism, rushed  in,  but  scarcely  had  passed  the 
threshold,  when  a  ball  from  Malvin's  revolver 
brought  the  reckless  wretch  sprawhng  upon  the 
floor,  bleeding  like  a  slaughtered  bullock. 

Parson  Elmore, following  suit,  put  a  bullet  in 
the  brain  of  the  next  man.  Other  ruffians,  who 
were  crowding  in,  now  took  the  hint,  and,  quick- 
ly wheeling  about,  began  to  retreat;  but  some 


94  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

of  them  were  a  little  too  late  to  get  out  of 
harm's  way ;  bang  !  bang  !  bang  !  went  the  six- 
shooters,  and  at  each  fire,  a  rascal  came  down,  or 
else  went  off  howlino:. 

While  this  was  transpiring,  a  gun  was  acci- 
dentally discharged  in  the  midst  of  the  throng 
outside,  the  contents  of  which  lodged  in  the 
neck  of  one  of  the  secesh  clergymen  who  had 
come  to  see  the  fun.  .  The  Eev.  traitor,  taken 
on  surprise,  and  hit  in  a  tender  spot,  bellowed 
like  a  bull,  and  went  off  floundering  through 
the  crowd  like  a  wounded  buffalo  in  a  bog. 

At  this  juncture,  amid  such  terrible  disasters, 
a  sudden  panic  seized  the  rabble,  and  a  precipi- 
tant flight  ensued. 

"  Vv'e  are  victorious,  my  brave  boy ! "  said 
Parson  Elmore ;  "  and  now  is  our  time  to  decamp, 
while  we  are  sure  of  our  laurels  as  well  as  our 
lives." 

"Decamp?  —  what,  right  at  the  moment  of 
triumph  ? "  questioned  Malvin,  in  great  aston- 
ishment. 

"  Know  you  not,"  replied  the  parson,  "  that 
these  brutal  wretches  will  directly  rally  again, 


OR,   THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR.  95 

and  burn  the  house  over  our  heads  if  we  re- 
main ?  and,  perhaps,  murder  us  in  the  most  bar- 
barous manner  ?  " 

"  Ah,  you  are  right,  Parson,"  returned  Malvin ; 
"no  doubt  they  will  be  more  desperate  than 
before." 

"  We  ought  not  to  throw  away  our  lives," 
added  the  parson ;  "  our  country  may  need  our 
services  in  the  crisis  through  which  it  is  now 
destined  to  pass." 

They  immediately  set  about  making  prepara- 
tions for  a  flight  into  the  hill-country  adjacent 
to  the  village.  Gathering  up  a  roll  of  blankets, 
and  filling  a  basket  with  provisions,  they  passed 
out  through  the  back-yard  under  cover  of  the 
darkness,  which  had  just  set  in,  and  made  their 
escape  unobserved. 

It  was  doubtless  fortunate  for  them  that  the 
mob  delayed  their  attack  till  so  near  nightfall, 
for  in  open  daylight  they  could  by  no  possibil- 
it}^  have  made  their  escape,  and  would  certainly 
have  been  brutally  murdered. 

After  the  persecuted  men  had  got  a  little  out 
of  the  village,  a  mile  or  more,  they  all  at  once 


96  THE  STAES   AXD   BA.RS  ; 

perceived  a  bright  light  shining  on  the  tree-tops 
before  them ;  on  looking  round  to  see  where  it 
proceeded  from,  they  beheld  the  parsonage 
wrapped  in  flames. 

"Ah,  just  as  I  expected,"  remarked  the  par- 
son, calmly;  "  the  fiends  have  applied  the  torch  ! 
Well,  let  it  burn ;  we've  reason  to  be  thankful 
for  having  escaped  with  our  lives." 

Knowing  that  it  would  be  utterly  unsafe  to 
stop  anywhere  within  the  State,  after  what  had 
happened,  they  concluded  to  make  their  way  to 
Kansas,  and  so  turned  their  course  in  a  north- 
westerly direction,  through  an  almost  unin- 
habited region. 

After  travelling  till  about  midnight,  having 
reached  the  mountain  wilds,  they  found  them- 
selves weary,  and,  calling  a  halt,  spread  their 
blankets,  and  laid  themselves  down  to  rest. 

The  mob,  after  burning  the  j^arsonage,  and 
getting  their  destructive  propensities  fully  ex- 
cited, continued  their  work  of  malice  and  de- 
vastation to  a  frightful  extent.  They  burnt  the 
houses  of  all  the  Germans  and  free  negroes  for 
several  miles  round,  and  killed  and  crippled  a 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  97 

number  of  the  inmates.     And,  not  content  with 

even  that,  they  hung  two  of  the  more  moderate 

secessionists  for  opposing  their  madness.     Such 

is  the  recklessness   of  brainless  herds  of  men 

when  once  they  begin  the  work  of  violence. 

The  refugees,  who  had  fled  to  the  hill-country 

in  the  direction  of  Kansas,  rose  up  at  dawn,  re- 

• 

freshed  and  resolute,  to  resume  their  journey. 
Avoid uig  every  human  habitation,  they  kept  in 
the  dark  forests  and  in  the  wilds  of  the  moun- 
tains, still  bearing  to  the  northwest.  About 
high  noon  they  began  to  think  about  trying 
the  contents  of  their  basket.  The  better  to 
relish  their  repast,  they  thought  to  seek  out 
some  spring  or  rivulet  that  would  afford  them 
the  delicious  beverage  of  clear,  cold  water. 
Turning  down  a  deep  ravine,  in  search  of  the 
sparkling  fountain,  they  came  suddenly  upon  a 
family  of  fugitive  slaves,  —  a  mulatto  man  and 
woman,  with  two  little  children.  The  fuixitives 
were  sitting  upon  the  ground  by  a  brooklet, 
dividinor  amonor  themselves  their  last  crust  of 
brea<l. 

At  sight  of  the  white  iricn,  the  parents  oi'  the 


98  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  : 


children  sprang  wildly  to  their  feet,  and,  taking 
an  attitude  of  bold  defiance,  each  brandished  a 
gleaming  blade  of  steel.  Every  look,  attitude, 
and  motion,  evinced  their  readiness  and  deter- 
mination to  engage  in  a  death-struggle. 

"  Pardon  us !  "  cried  the  parson ;  "  we  are  no 
slave-hunters." 

"  Thank  God  ! "  exclaimed  the  colored  man ; 
"  ah !  I  now  perceive  you  are  not.  Your  gentle, 
kindly  look  and  tone  assure  me  that  you  have 
too  much  heart,  too  great  a  soul,  to  betray  the 
poor  slave  who  pants  for  liberty." 

"And  what  have  you  to  eat?"  inquired  the 
parson. 

"This  bit  of  crust  you  see  here  is  between 
us  and  starvation ; "  answered  the  fugitive. 
"  As  for  myself,  I  have  not  tasted  food  for  three 
days ;  as  you  came  up,  I  was  about  to  put  a  few 
crumbs  into  my  mouth,  and  let  my  wife  and 
children  eat  the  rest,  and  trust  to  Providence 
for  the  next  meal." 

"Well,  you  trusted  not  in  vain,"  said  the 
parson;  "here  comes  Providence,"  pointing  to 
the  basket,  as  Malvin  brought  it  forward,  and 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OP   TERROR.  99 

began  to  spread  out  the  delicious  viands  before 
the  half-starved  creatures. 

"  God  is  good,  Simon,"  sobbed  the  woman,  as 
she  gazed  upon  this  unexpected  bounty;  "I  told 
you,"  added  she,  "  Heaven  wouldn't  let  our 
children  starve."  And  tears  of  gratitude 
coursed  their  way  down  her  dusky  cheeks. 

After  all  had  satisfied  their  hunger,  Simon 
entered  into  a  recital  of  the  circumstances  con- 
nected with  their  escape. 

"I,"  said  he,  "ran  away  from  slavery  more 
than  a  year  ago,  and  have  been  ever  since  plan- 
ning to  get  Hannah  and  the  children  away. 

In  Kansas,  I  rented  a  piece  of  land,  and  hired 
a  horse  and  plough,  and  raised  a  crop,  and  then 
I  built  me  a  nice  little  cabin  on  the  land  \  and 
soon  as  I'd  got  that  done,  I  began  to  pray  to 
the  good  Lord  to  guide  me  in  getting  my  poor 
wife  and  children  out  of  bondage.  Pretty  soon 
I  started,  trusting  in  God  that  I'd  have  success. 
I  filled  my  knapsack  with  provisions  enough  to 
have  supplied  us  all  till  we  could  have  reached 
Kansas;  but  I  liEid  to  hide  it  in  the  woods  till  I 
could    find   Hannah    and    the    children;  and   I 


100  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 


could  only  venture  to  look  after  theiu  late  at 
night.  On  my  first  attempt,  I  found  out  where 
she  was,  and  got  sight  of  her ;  but  it  was  not 
until  the  next  night  that  I  secured  a  chance  to 
speak  with  her.  The  whole  thing  was  then 
soon  arranged,  and  we  on  our  way  to  Kansas; 
but  when  we  reached  the  woods  where  I  had 
buried  my  knapsack  of  provisions,  I  found  that 
the  wolves  had  dug  it  up,  and  devoured  it  all 
but  that  miserable  crust  we  were  about  to  eat 
when  you  came  up.  But  we  both  felt  confident 
that  God  would  not  let  us  perish." 

"But  your  confidence  wavered  a  little,"  re- 
marked Malvin,  "  when  you  first  got  a  glimpse 
of  us." 

"  Yes, "  returned  Simon,  pensively  ;  "  I  was 
sure  the  blood-hounds  were  upon  us." 

"  What  would  j^ou  have  done,"  inquired  Mal- 
vin, "  if,  instead  of  us,  it  had  been  a  gang  of 
slave-hunters  ?  " 

"  Hannah  and  I  had  made  up  our  minds,  at 
the  very  outset,  that  if  we  were  pursued,  w^e'd 
never  be  taken  alive.  Before  leaving  Kansas, 
1  procured  these  weapon^,  which  you  saw  in  our 


OR.   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  101 

hands.  We  were  resolved,  if  attacked,  circum- 
stances be  what  they  might,  to  fight  to  the  very 
death.  And  we  had  further  agreed,  that  if  the 
odds  should  be  greatly  against  us,  and  there 
should  seem  an  utter  impossibility  for  us  to 
defend  ourselves,  that  we  would,  right  at  the 
outset,  take  the  lives  of  our  dear  children, — 
that  they  might  be  saved,  at  all  events,  from 
dragging  out  a  miserable  existence  in  a  state  of 
slavery." 

"  Do  you  think  that  would  have  been  right, 
Simon  ?  "  asked  Parson  Elmore. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  fugitive,  firmly ;  '^  I  think  it 
would  have  been  right,  and  but  doing  our 
duty  to  our  children.  I  know  what  slavery  is ; 
death  is  to  be  preferred  before  it.  It  is  only 
the  very  ignorant  who  can  patiently  endure  the 
sufferings  and  degradation  of  slavery." 

It  mif^ht  be  here  observed,  that  Simon  and 
Hannah  were  altogether  more  intelligent  than  a 
majority  of  slaves,  and  far  more  intelligent  than 
a  large  majority  of  "  the  white  trash "  of  the 
Slave  States.     They  used  none  of  the  low  lan- 

9* 


102  THE   STARS    AND   BARS; 

guage  nor  barbarous  pronunciation,  j^eculiar  to 
the  lower  grade  of  slaves  and  ignorant  whites. 

"  Hannah  had  a  very  hard  lot,"  continued 
Simon ;  "  she  has  always  been  sickly ;  yet  she 
was  kept  constantly  at  the  hardest  kind  of 
work,  and  always  hired  out  to  wash  and 
drudge,  black  boots  and  harness  horses,  winter 
and  summer,  and  night  and  day,  if  occasion 
required;  and  that,  to  support  two  lazy,  idle, 
dissipated  young  men.  Hannah  was  the  only 
slave  the  family  ever  owned.  And  for  the  last 
three  years,  all  the  family  have  been  dead,  but 
these  two  lounging,  drunken  loafers.  "WTiat  she 
earns  has  been  for  years  their  entire  depen- 
dence for  support.  And  they  were  already 
talking  of  selling  her  children,  because  of  being 
hard  pressed  for  spending-monej^  I  only  wish 
we  could  have  got  their  two  horses ;  they  have 
a  good  horse  apiece  to  spree  round  on,  which  is 
the  only  property  they  now  own. 

Just  at  this  moment,  a  gruff,  coarse  voice 
called  out  from  the  top  of  the  hill, — 

"  By  jing !  there  they  are  now  ! " 

Instantly  looking  uj),  Simon  recognized    the 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  103 

two  profligate  young  men,  of  whom  he  had  just 
been  speaking.  They  were  mounted  on  their 
horses,  and  each  was   carrying  a  rifle. 

Simon  instinctively  clutched  his  w^eapon,  bat 
the  next  instant  looked  at  the  parson,  as  if  for 
counsel. 

"  There/'  exclaimed  Hannah,  in  a  suppressed 
voice,  "  are  the  wretches  who  call  themselves 
my  masters.  Have  we  to  fight  our  own  battle, 
Simon  ?     If  so,  let  us  be  ready." 

"  Look  you  here,"  whispered  the  parson,  show- 
ing the  pistol  in  his  bosom;  "you  keep  perfectly 
still,  and  let  this  young  man  and  myself  man- 
age it,  Malvin,  now  let  us  put  on  as  much 
of  a  swaggering  air  and  tone  as  we  can,  and 
they  will  readily  conclude  that  we  have  caught 
the  fugitives ;  and  thus  may  we  get  into  close 
quarters  with  them,  so  that  their  guns  will  have 
no  advantage  over  our  pistols." 

"The  first  nigger  that  runs,"  said  Tom  Bol- 
ton, the  older  one  of  the  two  slave-hunters, 
"  I'll  blow  his  brains  out ! " 

"There's  Hannah's  husband,"  said  the  other 
with  an  oath;  "we'll  get  at  least  a  hundred 
dollars   for   taking   him   back." 


104  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

"  But  there  are  two  white  men !  who  can 
they  be  ?  "  said  the  older  to  the  younger. 

Malvin,  now  rising  to  his  feet,  said,  — 

"  What  are  you  going  to  give  us  for  finding 
your  niggers  ?  " 

"  Oho !  you  caught  them,  eh  ? "  responded 
Tom  Bolton.   "  Well,  we'll  reward  you,  of  course." 

And  at  once  dismounting  and  hitching  their 
horses,  they  came  forward,  and,  setting  down 
their  guns,  took  out  a  rope  to  tie  the  fugitives. 

"Ah,  ha,  you  jade  ! "  said  Tom,  in  a  most  tan- 
talizing manner;  "you  got  caught,  did  you? 
How  many  hundred  lashes  do  you  think  it  will 
take  to  pay  you  for  this  ?  Never  mind,  you 
black  wench !  we'll  have  a  settlement  when  we 
get  home.  And  as  to  these  brats  of  yours,  I've 
sold  them  to  a  man  who  will  take  them  far 
enough  out  of  your  way ;  and  as  to  this  nig- 
ger, your  adorable  husband,  his  master  has  long 
been  itching  to  give  him  a  thousand  lashes." 

By  this  time  Malvin  was  between  the  slave- 
hunters  and  their  guns,  and  had  his  hand  on 
his  revolver.  The  parson  was  also  in  a  suitable 
position,  and  ready  for  action. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR.  105 

"Get  up  here  and  be  tied,  you  scoundrel/' 
said  Tom  Bolton  to  Simon,  at  the  same  time 
kicking  him. 

Like  lightning,  the  latter  sprang  to  his  feet, 
and,  drawing  back,  struck  the  insolent  wretch 
a  blow  that  felled  him  like  a  dead  man  ;  and, 
before  the  other  recovered  from  his  surprise,  he 
knocked  him  down,  also. 

The  j5rst  one  scrambled  up  and  made  for  his 
gun ;  but,  to  his  astonishment  again,  he  found  a 
pistol  pointing  at  his  breast,  accompanied  with 
the  command  to  cross  his  hands  and  be  tied. 

In  a  few  seconds,  they  were  both  tied  with  the 
same  rope  they  had  brought  to  tie  poor  Han- 
nah with;  and  Simon  had  the  satisfaction  of 
tying  one,  and  iBmnah  the  other. 

"Now,  Hannah,"  said  Parson  Elmore,  "you 
have  a  horse  to  ride  to  your  new  home  in  Kan- 
sas; and  your  husband  will  have  two  elegant 
farm-horses  to  drive  business  after  you  get 
there.  But  what  will  these  nice  young  men 
do  for  spend ing-money,  for  egg-nog,  oyster-sup- 
pers, mint-juleps,  &c.,  when  they  no  longer  get 
your  wages  ?  " 


106  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  ; 

This  was  too  much  for  Tom  Bolton ;  his  chiv- 
alric  blood  boiled  over.  Never  was  any  living 
animal  seen  to  go  into  such  a  diabolical  rage. 
He  swore,  stamped,  and  raved,  pitched  and 
tore,  tried  to  break  the  rope  with  which  he 
was  bound,  gnashed  his  teeth,  and  foamed  at  the 
mouth  like  a  hard-ridden  steed. 

Hannah  had  noticed,  when  Tom  first  came 
up,  that,  besides  his  gun,  he  carried  in  his  hand 
a  keen,  long,  wiry  hickory,  something  like  an 
ox-goad ;  and  she  made  no  doubt  that  he  had 
selected  it  in  his  rambles  through  the  wilds  for 
her  special  benefit.  While  the  fellow  was  yet 
raving,  she  chanced  to  put  her  eye  on  this 
nicely-trimmed  rod ;  and,  obejang  an  impulse 
which  suddenly  awoke  in  her  bosom,  from  a 
vivid  recollection  which  flashed  across  her  mind, 
of  the  deep  wrongs  she  had  suffered  at  the 
hands  of  the  beast  who  was  then  raging  because 
of  being  foiled  in  his  Satanic  purpose  of  venting 
his  malice  upon  her,  she  snatched  up  the  rod, 
and,  flying  at  him  like  an  enraged  tigress,  made 
the  welkin  ring  with  the  sharp,  keen  lashes  she 
laid  on  his  back.     Malvin  and  Parson  Elmore 


OR,  THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR.  107 

thought  the  rascal  deserved  a  flogging,  and  that, 
if  anybody  had  a  special  right  to  administer  it 
to  him,  it  was  Hannah ;  so  they  said  nothing. 
And  as '  for  Simon,  he  enjoyed  the  scene  im- 
measurably. 

^  The  hickory-storm  that  so  unexpectedly  burst 
upon  the  villain's  back  and  shoulders  surprised 
and  confounded  him  to  such  a  degree  that  he 
instantly  gave  up  his  raving,  and  stood  stock- 
still,  as  if  transfixed  to  the  earth. 

After  linting  him  keenly  for  a  few  moments, 
Hannah  paused,  and,  looking  the  guilty  wretch 
in  the  eye,  asked  him  if  he  remembered  tying 
her,  as  he  was  then  tied,  and  cutting  her  back 
to  pieces  with  a  cowhide,  and  for  no  other 
offence  than  having  gone,  without  liberty,  to  see 
her  husband,  whom  she  had  not  seen  for  months. 
"And  do  you  recollect,"  said  she,  "  how  you  used 
to  beat  me  when  I  failed  to  finish  the  heavy 
tasks  you  put  upon  me  ?  You  have  never 
known  before  what  it  was  to  be  lashed  like  a 
slave.  Can  you  blame  me  for  giving  you  a  little 
taste  of  the  sweets  of  slavery  ?  " 

Tom  could  make  no  reply,  but  stood  in  sullen 


108  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

silence ;  yet  plainly  showed  that  the  Devil  was 
in  him,  hi  or  as  a  bull-doo-. 

"  Slaves  always  have  to  beg  before  they  are 
spared/'  continued  Hannah  ;  "  and  many  times 
that  doesn't  save  them  tiU  they  are  almost 
killed.  And  now,  you  miserable  sinner,  I'll  teach 
you  what  it  is  to  beg."  And,  stepping  back  and 
taking  hold  of  the  rod  with  both  hands,  she 
made  it  fairly  talk  round  his  shoulders;  At 
first,  he  thought  to  grin  and  bear  it ;  but  the 
agony  was  too  great ;  the  unfeeling  tyrant  had 
to  beg, —  ay,  to  beg  at  the  feet  of  a  slave,  —  to 
ask  mercy  of  one  to  whom  he  had  shown  no 
mercy!  This  was,  indeed,  humiliating  for  a 
slave-driving  tyrant ;  but  the  smart  of  the  lash 
soon  brought  down  his  lofty  air,  his  arrogant 
looks,  and  inflated  self-esteem.  Having  humbled 
him  to  her  satisfaction,  Hannah  threw  down  the 
rod  and  turned  away,  saying,  "  Tom,  I  hope  this 
lesson  will  profit  you  all  your  life,  and  teach 
you  at  least  to  feel  for  others." 

The  party  now  made  preparations  to  travel 
on.  It  was  deemed  expedient  to  take  the  slave- 
hunters  with  them  a  day's  journey  or  more,  lest 


OR,  THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR.  109 

they  should  hurry  home  and  put  the  guerrilla 
bands  on  their  track. 

Hannah  and  her  children  were  mounted  on 
Tom  Bolton's  big,  strong  horse,  but  now  no 
lonijfer  his.  Parson  Elmore  mounted  the  other 
horse,  with  their  luo-^raii-e,  leavino;  Malvin  and 
Simon  to  bring  the  prisoners  on  foot. 

About  noon,  the  day  following,  the  parson 
thought  it  safe  to  turn  the  prisoners  loose  ;  so, 
calling  a  halt,  Malvin  divided  with  them  a  ven- 
ison he  had  killed  on  the  way  with  one  of  their 
guns ;  after  which,  the  parson  gave  them  a  good 
piece  of  advice,  to  which  they  listened  with  sad 
looks,  and  then  bade  them  farewell. 

The  next  day,  just  before  sundown,  the  party 
safely  arrived  at  Simon's  cabin  in  Kansas. 

The  reader  can  better  imagine,  than  I  can 
describe,  the  joy  of  Hannah  and  her  husband 
when  they  came  fully  to  realize  that  they  were 
forever  free  from  the  shackles  of  slavery,  and 
had  a  home  on  Freedom's  soil. 

10 


no 


THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ; 


CHAPTER    YIII. 


"  Thus  may  we  gather  honey  from  the  weed, 
And  make  a  moral  of  the  Devil  hunself." 


N  answer  to  the  prayers,  earnest  en- 
treaties, and  pressing  importunities, 
of  many  loyal  citizens  of  Missouri, 
the  Federal  Government,  after  Ions: 
delays,  and  the  most  tardy  move- 
ments, as  it  seemed,  of  the  War  De- 
partment, at  last  sent  forward  into 
certain  northern  sections  of  the  State,  detach- 
ments of  Union  troops  to  assist  Union  men  in 
maintaining  the  laws,  and  putting  down  mob- 
violence.  The  first  Federal  forces  that  made 
their  appearauce  in  Border-ruffian  Rebeldom 
were  altogether  insufficient,  and  could  afford 
very  little  protection  either  to  the  lives  or  prop- 
erty of  the  loj^al  partj^  Secessionists  continued 
to  maltreat,  and,  in  many  instances,  murder  their 
Union-loving  neighbors.     But  the  Federal  forces 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  Ill 

at  length  began  to  be  strengthened,  and  serious- 
ly to  threaten  the  armed  bands  of  reckless 
rebels  that  had  broken  np  the  peace  of  the 
country  and  inaugurated  a  reign  of  terror. 

This  menace  created  no  little  stir  among  se- 
cessionists ;  they  lustily  cried  out,  "  Invasion^ 
And,  wiping  their  mouths  most  sanctimoniously 
with  their  blood-stained  hands  and  putting  on 
a  make-believe  face  and  a  lamb-like  tone  of  in- 
nocence, appealed  to  the  world,  whether  it  was 
not  a  sin  and  a  shame  that  a  country,  filled  with 
such  immaculate  and  unoffending  people,  should 
be  invaded  by  government  troops  ?  And  this 
hypocritical  cry  of  invasion  was  echoed  by  the 
tories  of  the  North  from  State  to  State,  and 
from  precinct  to  precinct.  Yes  ;  the  willing  tools 
of  a  Southern  oligarchy  caught  this  deceitful 
cry,  fresh  from  the  lips  of  perjured  rebels  and 
assassins,  and  have  kept  it  resounding  in  dis- 
loyal sections  of  the  Free  States  ever  since. 

Thus  encouraged  by  hosts  of  copperheads  at 
the  North,  the  traitors  of  the  southwest,  espe- 
cially of  Missouri,  made  great  noise  of  prepara- 
tion for  war.     They  met  almost  daily  in  great 


112  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  I 


crowds  to  listen  to  their  stump-orators,  and 
lying  demagogues,  and  to  muster  and  drill,  to 
drink  whiskey,  wrangle,  and  carouse.  Platte 
City  was  often  the  scene  of  these  tumultuous 
gatherings  and  grand  carousals.  The  most  not- 
able assemblage  of  this  sort  took  place  there 
directly  after  the  first  Federal  troops  made  their 
appearance  at  St.  Joseph,  some  fortj^  miles  north 
of  Platte  City.  The  whole  country  had  been 
invited  to  turn  out,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a 
secesh  flag,  and  of  more  effectually  organizing 
and  equipping  a  rebel  force,  to  meet  and  van- 
quish the  Union  army. 

The  demagogues  and  nabobs  were  brave  in 
words,  but  had  no  intention  of  being  valorous 
in  deeds ;  it  was  well  understood  among  them 
that  the  white  trash  were  to  do  the  fitrhtino^, 
while  they  did  the  talking,  vaunting,  and  blow- 
ing of  trumpets. 

On  the  occasion  alluded  to  above,  Platte  City 
was  crowded  to  overflowing  at  an  early  hour, 
and  all  the  ragamuffins  of  the  land  were  on 
hmd  for  a  new  suit  of  butternut,  which,  it  was 
expected,  the  wealthy  slave-holders  would  far- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  113 

nish,  in  view  of  the  military  services  they  were 
ready  to  render. 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement,  the  attention 
of  the  multitude  was  all  at  once  arrested  by  the 
sudden  and  imposing  appearance  of  a  coach  and 
four  comino:  down  Main  Street.  The  horses 
were  richly  caparisoned,  and  gayly  bedecked 
about  the  ears  w^th  little  flaunting  banners,  dis- 
playing the  stars  and  bars,  which  had  recently 
been  substituted  for  the  "  rattlesnake  flag," —  the 
first  chosen  ensign  of  the  Southern  Confedera- 
cy. A  well-dressed  negro,  whose  sable  skin 
glistened  like  a  newly-polished  boot,  sat  pom- 
pously perched  upon  the  box,  reining,  with  more 
than  princely  pride,  his  prancing  steeds,  whose 
gorgeous  trappings  dazzled  all  eyes.  Sambo 
flourished  a  new  and  superb  whip,  with  a  snap- 
per on  the  end  of  the  lash,  which  ever  and  anon 
he  made  pop  like  a  pocket-pistol.  This  was  ac- 
cording to  the  instructions  of  his  master,  who 
deemed  it  a  modest  way  of  announcing  his  ad- 
vent, and  was  certainly  less  ostentatious  than 
sounding  a  trumpet  before  him. 

10* 


114  THE   STARS    AXD    BARS; 

"  There  comes  Dr.  Puff!  "  was  whispered  with 
enthusiasm  in  various  groups. 

"Dr.  Puff  I  Dr.  Puff!"  went  from  lip  to  lip, 
and  echoed  from  mouth  to  mouth  throusrh  the 
restless,  stirring  multitude,  as  the  glittering 
vehicle  rolled  by. 

Driving  on  to  the  most  fashionable  inn,  the 
ebony  postilion  pulled  up ;  and  a  portly-bellied 
landlord  waddled  forth,  and,  opening  the  car- 
riage-door, assisted  a  bloated  specimen  of  hu- 
manit}^,  like  himself,  to  roll  out. 

One  might  have  thought  Jack  Falstaff  had 
again  come  to  life,  and  was  expecting  a  jolly 
greeting  from  "  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor." 
On  the  obsequious  crowd  that  gathered  round, 
the  nabob  smiled  a  broad  grin,  and  even  deigned 
to  shake  by  the  hand,  not  only  the  upper  ten, 
but  also  the  lower  million.  To  his  white  me- 
nials, and  wealth-worshipping  minions,  this 
seemed  a  wondrous  condescension. 

Dr.  Puff,  though  less  burdened  with  brains 
than  with  some  other  things,  well  knew  that  in 
such  times  of  commotion,  the  groundlings,  and 
the  low  of  station,  had  a  chance  for  sudden  ele- 


on,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  115 

vation.  He  saw  that  His  Majesty,  the  mob, 
already  ruled  the  land ;  and  deemed  it,  there- 
fore, expedient  that  he  should  due  homage  pay 
to  the  populace.  Men,  whom  he  had  never 
stooped  to  greet  before,  were  now  in  ecstasies 
because  the  man  of  wealth  deigned  them  the 
notice  of  his  eye.  Little  did  their  dull  brains 
perceive  the  mward  thought  of  his  scheming 
mind,  while  he  said  within  his  heart,  — 

'^  These  human  cattle,  duiing  the  coming 
struggle,  are  to  form  the  ramparts,  behind  which 
we  aristocrats,  with  our  slaves,  are  to  hide  our- 
selves." 

The  excitement  among  the  rabble,  occasioned 
by  Dr.  Puff's  arrival,  had  scarcely  subsided,  w^hen 
another  nabob  rolled  up  in  similar  style,  and  to 
whom  all  attention  was  at  once  turned. 

Now  Mr.  Skedaddle  had  his  day,  and,  for  a 
time,  was  the  Hon  in  his  turn. 

Being  the  largest  slave-holder  in  that  part  of 
the  State,  and  of  course  interested  in  the  slave- 
holders' rebellion,  and  disposed  to  help  it  on 
with  his  purse,  his  arrival  produced  a  sensation 
amounting  to  a  furor ;  and  the  glory  which,  but 


116  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  I 


a  moment  before,  hovered  around  Dr.  Puff,  was 
at  once  totally  eclipsed  by  the  new  celebrity,  to 
the  infinite  mortification  of  the  doctor. 

The  presence  of  these  distinguished  civilians 
on  the  occasion  was  well-calculated  to  promote 
the  cause  of  secession,  bolster  treason,  and  give 
countenance  to  the  rebellion ;  not,  however, 
because  of  possessing  either  mental  force  or 
moral  worth,  for  these  celebrities  could  boast  of 
neither ;  yet  they  had  what  was  better,  in  the 
estimation  of  the  vulgar  herd,  —  money  and 
slaves. 

Dr.  Puff,  warm  in  the  cause  of  disunion,  and 
anxious  to  see  sufficient  means  raised  to  arm 
and  equip  the  rabble,  felt  inclined  to  urge  upon 
his  wealthy  friend,  Mr.  Skedaddle,  whom  he 
thought  rather  penurious,  to  give  largely  in 
support  of  the  enterprise ;  so  he  signified  to  the 
latter,  as  soon  as  an  ojDportunity  presented,  his 
wish  to  speak  with  him  aside.  They  walked  off 
out  of  the  bustle  a  few  rods,  and  paused  for 
conversation. 

In  personal  appearance  the  two  aristocrats 
presented  a   striking   contrast.     Skedaddle  was 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TEIflROR.  117 

lean  and  slender,  nervous  and  excitable,  and 
only  lacked  brain  to  be  a  man  of  thought  and 
discernment.  Dr.  PafF  was  corpulent,  lymj^hatic, 
tardy  in  his  movements,  and  slow  of  speech. 
Like  an  elephant,  he  was  hard  to  excite,  but, 
when  once  fairly  aroused,  moved  like  a  steam- 
engine,  and,  if  angry,  grew  ferocious.  He  was 
especially  capable  of  being  wrought  up  to  a 
high  pitch  of  excitement  upon  any  question  af- 
fecting the  safety  of  the  peculiar  institution. 

Though  very  dissimilar  in  almost  every  re- 
spect, yet  these  swell-head  rebels,  at  one  point, 
were  ahke.  They  each  attached  great  impor- 
tance to  the  aristocracy  of  wealth,  while  men- 
tal and  moral  culture,  wisdom  and  learnino-, 
had  little  or  no  value  in  their  estimation.  Like 
^  most  ignorant  men,  they  were  full  of  vain  con- 
ceit, and  piqued  themselves  greatly  upon  their 
,  aristocracy;  yet  certain  vulgar  habits  perpetu- 
ally betrayed  their  low  breeding. 

Dr.  Puff  had  the  very  odious  habit  of  enfor- 
cing his  remarks,  whenever  he  made  a  point,  by 
a  chuck  with  his  elbow  into  the  short  ribs  of 
his  listener,  while  Skedaddle  had  acquired  the 


118  TBffi  STARS  AND   BARS; 

scarcely  less  disagreeable  habit  of  echoing  the 
last  words  of  the  individual  in  conversation 
with  him,  and,  also,  of  forever  repeating  a 
couple  of  stereotyped  exclamations.  At  every 
little  surprise  he  would  cry  out,  "  liemarJcable  ! " 
with  a  peculiar  stress  of  voice ;  and,  at  every 
declaration  made  by  his  companion,  he  would 
exclaim,  with  great  emphasis,  '•'  tTust  so ! " 

With  this  brief  description  of  the  two  most 
wealthy  aristocrats  in  Border-ruffian  Rebeldom, 
I  proceed  to  relate  their  private  conversation. 

After  a  very  emphatic  gesture,  accompanied 
with  a  special  effort  to  look  wise,  Dr.  Puff  thus 
began :  — 

"Now,  Mr.  Skedaddle,"  — 

"Just  so.  Dr.  Puff,"  responded  his  nervous 
friend,  anticipating  him. 

"  You  and  I,"  — 

"Just  so!" 

At  this  juncture  a  loud  hurrah  was  heard  up 
street. 

"  Remarkable  !  "  exclaimed  Skedaddle,  wheel- 
ing quickly  round,  and  looking  wildly  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  shouting  multitude. 


OK,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  119 

"'Tis  but  tlie  parading  of  the  rabble,"  ex- 
plained Dr.  Puff. 

"  Just  so !  the  parading  of  the  rabble,"  it- 
erated the  excited  man,  turning  again,  with  a 
patronizing  air,  to  his  confidential  friend. 

"  I  say  rabhle ;  perhaps  I  should  say,  citizens^^ 
remarked  the  doctor  with  a  knowing  wink,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  chucking  Skedaddle  with  his 
elbow  in  the  side. 

"  Remarkable  ! "  cried  the  lean-ribbed  nabob, 
jumping  almost  out  of  his  boots ;  but  in  a  mo- 
ment recovered  himeelf,  and,  affecting  the  ut- 
most composure,  replied,  "  Just  so,  citizens  ! " 

Now  came  hurrying  on,  amid  loud  huzzas 
and  the  stirring  drum,  a  grand  procession  of 
flaunting  banners  and  ragged  ruffians,  with  here 
and  there  a  decent-looking  man,  whose  eye 
seemed  to  say, ''  Tm  in  for  hunlaimr 

The  procession  was  led  by  Mr.  Scallawag,  who 
carried  a  secesh  flag,  and  ever  and  anon  broke 
forth  in  a  two-line  song :  — 

"  Under  the  stars  and  bars, 
We're  going  to  the  wars  —  Oho  I  ** 


120  THE  STARS   AXD   BARS; 

"Hurrah!  hurrah!  hurrah!"  shouted  the  mob, 
waving  hats  and  caps,  or  wildly  flinging  them 
high  in  air. 

"  Remarkable  ! "  cried  Mr.  Skedaddle. 

Next  came  Knickerbocker,  with  a  wink  and  a 
blink,  waving  his  hat  in  mock  gesture;  and  then, 
in  a  stentorian  voice, sang  the  following  lines: — 

"  I  swear  by  the  gi-eat  Palmetto  Nation, 
We'll  lick  the  Yankees  like  all  tarnation  !  " 

Then,  suddenly  dropping  his  voice  into  an  un- 
dertone, added,  "  In  a  horn ! " 

"Hurrah!  hurrah!"  again  shouted  the  rabble. 

"Remarkable!"  still  exclaimed  the  excitable 
Skedaddle. 

As  soon  as  the  noisy  tumult  had  passed  by, 
Dr.  Puff  resumed  the  conversation. 

"As  I  was  about  to  say,  Mr.  Skedaddle,"  — 

"  Just  so  ! " 

"  You  and  I  have  property,  and  that  property 
consists  mainly  in  niggers." 

"  Just  so  !  mainly  in  niggers." 

"And  niggers,  you  know,  have  legs ; "  at  the 
same  time  chucking  him  in  the  ribs. 


OR,  THE   KEIGN   OP  TERROR.  121 


"Remarkable!"  squalled  the  persecuted  Ske- 
daddle, jumping  up  and  springing  round  like  a 
jaybird  on  a  swinging  limb.  But  directly  check- 
ing himself  up,  said, — 

"  Just  so  !  niggers  have  legs." 

"And  the  black  rascals  only  want  a  chance  to 
use  them,"  added  Dr.  Pufif. 

"Just  so  !  a  chance  to  use  them."* 

"  Then  only  think  what  might  happen  to  you 
and  me  if  the  Lincoln  troops  are  allowed  to  in- 
vade Missouri ;  first  thing  we  know,"  — 

"  Just  so  !  first  thing  we  know,"  — 

"We'll  be  left  niggerless!"  again  hunching 
him. 

"  Remarkable ! "  bellowed  Skedaddle,  whirling 
round,  and  clapping  his  hand  on  his  side  as  if 
feeling  for  a  broken  rib  ;  then,  again,  as  before, 
suddenly  calming  down,  reiterates  the  last  words 
of  the  imperturbable  Dr.  Pufi",  "just  so!  —  left 
niggerless ! " 

"And  what  a  fix  that  would  be  for  aristocrats 
like  you  and  me  ! " 

"  Just  so !  —  aristocrats  like  you  and  me." 

"  Brought  down  upon  a  level  with  every  poor 


11 


122  THE   STARS    AND    BARS; 

white  devil,  who  is  now  glad  to  be  our  me- 
nial ! " 

"  Just  so  !  —  glad  to  be  our  menial. " 

"  Only  look  at  it,  sir ;  such  a  thought  is  ab- 
solutely startling ! " 

Simultaneously  with  the  utterance  of  the  word 
startling,  he  planted  his  ill-mannered  elbow  with 
startling  emphasis,  yet  all-unconscious  of  what 
he  did,  about  the  tender  region  of  the  poor  fel- 
low's fifth  rib. 

"  Remarkable  ! "  bawled  Skedaddle,  as  if  he'd 
been  stabbed  with  a  bowie-knife.  But  as  soon  as 
he  recovered  his  breath,  he  smothered  his  wrath, 
and  graciously  sent  back  the  echo,  —  "  Just  so ! 
—  startling ! " 

"You  and  I  well  understand  what  it  is  that 
keeps  the  tq^i^er  ten  above  the  lower  million  !  " 

"  Just  so  1  the  upper  ten  above  the  loiver  milr 
lion!'' 

"  In  this  country  it's  niggers  that  lifts  a  man 
up  ! "  With  the  word  up,  went  another  dig  of 
the  elbow  into  the  dominion  of  ribs. 

"Remarkable ! — Plague  take  his  elbow !  That's 
enough  to  lift  a  man  up  out  of  his  boots,"  solilo- 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  123 

quized  Skedaddle  with  almost  exhausted  pa- 
tience. But,  perceiving  that  his  friend  was  whol- 
ly unconscious  of  the  pain  and  annoyance  it 
gave  him,  he  concluded  to  put  on  fortitude  and 
bear  it. 

"  Just  so  !     It's  niggers  that  lifts  a  man  up." 

"And  the  want  of  nisrorers  lets  him   down." 

"  Just  SO  !  lets  him  down  I " 

"  How  would  you  feel,  sir,  aristocrat  as  you 
are,  to  have  a  2?oor  man  come  along-side  of  you, 
and,  presuming  himself  your  equal,  chuck  you 
in  the  ribs,  as  I  do  ?  "  And  again  the  everlast- 
ing  elbow  came  in  collision  with  lean   ribs. 

"  Remarkable !  May  Old  Ringtail  fancy  me 
if  I  like  to  have  any  man  punch  me  in  the  ribs 
at  such  a  rate,  —  rich  or  poor !  "  These  side- 
remarks  of  poor,  tormented  Skedaddle  were  not 
all  uttered  in  an  undertone  \  they  only  went 
unheeded  by  Dr.  Puff,  on  account  of  his  being 
so  absorbingly  occupied  with  what  he  himself 
was  saying. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Skedaddle,"  remarked  the  doctor, 
with  great  earnestness,  '^you  and  I,  and  all 
Missouri  slave-holders,  will  find  it  to  our  interest 


124  THE  STARS   AXD   BARS; 

to  lean  to  the  South  and  kick  against  the 
North." 

"Just  so!  to  lean  to  the  South  and  kick 
against  the  North." 

"  But  to  come  at  once  to  the  point,  Mr.  Ske- 
daddle, let  me  tell  you,  sir,  we've  got  to  fight;" 
said  Dr.  Puff,  laying  particular  stress  on  the  last 
word,  and  the  usual  emphasis  on  the  poor  fel- 
low's ribs. 

"  Remarkable  !  Just  so  !  No,  no  !  Fight  ? 
Not  while  my  name's  Skedaddle !  "  And,  wheel- 
ins:  about,  besian  to  make  oflf! 

"  Hold !  hold !  I  pray  you,  hold,  sir,"  cried 
Dr.  Puff;  "  let  me  explain." 

Pausing  as  if  to  reflect.  Skedaddle  said  to 
himself,  — 

"  When  I'm  fool  enough  to  knock  my  head 
against  cold  lead,  may  I  be  shot ! " 

"Your  pardon,  sir;  you  comprehend  me  not. 
I  mean  we  must  see  that  fighting's  done." 

"  Just  so !  Oh,  ho !  see  that  fighting's  done  !  " 
said  the  cowardly  nabob,  brightening  up,  and 
coming  back. 

"  Pray,  sir,  what  have  you  and  I  to  dread  ? 
Aristocrat  blood  ne'er  was  made  to  be  shed." 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  125 

"Just  SO  !  ne'er  was  made  to  be  shed." 

"  Of  dano-er  2ve'll  be  well  aware.  Sure  there's 
plebeian  blood  to  spare." 

"  Just  so,  plebeian  blood  to  spare  " 

"  Now,  as  to  fighting,  you  know,  'tis  easy  to 
make  some  show,  and,  at  the  same  time,  manage 
to  keep  ourselves  out  of  harm's  way." 

"  Just  so  !  out  of  harm's  way." 

"  This,  then,  I  only  need  suggest,  —  while  we 
are  sparing  of  our  blood,  we  must  be  lavish  of 
our  cash.  It  may  cost  us  a  nigger  or  two,  but 
what  of  that  ?  " 

"Just  so  I  what  of  that?" 

"  Ah,  ha !  they  are  already  hoisting  the  Confed- 
erate flag.  Let  us  go  mix  in,  shout,  and  wave 
our  hats  for  bunkum!"  And,  with  the  inflec- 
tion of  the  voice  on  the  word  biinhim^  the  doc- 
tor's impertinent  elbow  again  took  his  martyred 
listener  in  the  short  ribs. 

"  Kemarkable  ! "  cried  Skedaddle  ;  "  my  ribs 
should  be  made  of  iron ! "  Then,  turning  to 
follow  the  doctor,  who  had  already  put  his 
ponderous  body  in  motion,  said,  —  "  Just  so  !  go 
mix  in,  shout,  and  wave  our  hats  for  bunkum ! " 


126 


THE  STARS   AND   BARS: 


CHAPTER    IX. 


"  The  best  laid  plans  o'  mice  and  me 
Gang  aft  agley." 


;/UST  as  the  ensign  of  the  Palmetto 
Nation  was  flung  to  the  breeze,  Dr. 
Puff  and  Skedaddle  made  their  ap- 
pearance upon  the  ground. 

"Hail   to   the   stars   and    bars!" 
cried  Dr.  Puff,  waving  his  hat  with 
great  enthusiasm. 
"  Just  so  !  hail  to  the  stars  and  bars  ! "  echoed 
Skedaddle,  flourishing  his  hat  in  like  manner. 

"Three  cheers  for  Jeff.  Davis,  Beauregard, 
and  the  Southern  Confederacy!"  shouted  a 
o:uerrilla  chief. 

"  The  Devil's  trinity  !  "  added  Knickerbocker, 
aside. 

"  Hurrah !  hurrah  !  hurrah  !  "  went  up  from 
the  rabble.  At  which,  Skedaddle  said,  "Re- 
markable ! " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  127 

'  At  this  juncture,  two  very  genteel-looking 
men  came  up,  stopping  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
tatterdemalion  crowd. 

"  Just  listen  to  these  infernal  rebels ! "  said 
one  to  the  other. 

"  Again  ! "  shouted  the  guerrilla  chief,  waving 
his  hat  The  multitude  followed,  and  a  second 
loud   hurrah  went   up   for  the    stars  and  bars. 

"  Perdition  overtake  them  ! "  said  one  of  the 
two  outside  gentlemen  just  alluded  to. 

"  A  vile  clan  ! "  responded  his  companion. 

''  I  could  see  every  rascal  of  them  swing 
upon  a  limb  ! "  remarked  the  former  ;  "  what  say 
you,  Mr.  Rupert  ?  " 

"  Ah,  let  them  yell ! "  was  the  indifferent 
response ;  "  empty  heads  will  be  loud-mouthed." 

'^  Again !  "  shouted  the  guerrilla  chief;  and 
aow  a  third  wild  hurrah  rent  the  air  around  the 
rebel  flag. 

The  ex€ited  gentleman  outside  the  tumult 
still  grew  warmer.  '-  Confound  the  gallows-look- 
ing traitors !  "  said  he  ;  "  how  well  their  necks 
would  become  halters  !  " 

^'  I  pray  you  keep  cool,  Mr.  Haller," 


128  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

"  Leave  these  blockheads  to  the  foolkiller," 
rejoined  his  companion. 

"  Perhaps  them  demure-looking  gentlemen  in 
white  shirts  don't  like  it."  observed  a  lead  ins: 
demagogue,  looking  toward  Rupert  and  Haller. 

"  By  their  looks  they  seem  to  say  so,"  re- 
marked Knickerbocker,  putting  on  a  make-be- 
lieve face. 

"Who  cares?"  growled  the  demagogue; 
"  they'd  better  make  tracks  if  they  don't  want 
a  shower  of  brickbats." 

"  I  trust  the  hangman  may  soon  find  employ- 
ment, and  we  market  for  our  hemp,"  observed 
Haller  to  Rupert,  as  they  turned  about  to  with- 
draw. 

"  Three  groans  for  the  old  stars  and  stripes ! " 
said  the  guerrilla  chief,  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

"  And  three  times  three  for  yourselves,  poor 
devils,"  rejoined  Knickerbocker,  aside. 

Three  hideous  groans  were  straightway  given 
in  response  to  the  chief's  request.  At  the  end 
of  each  groan,  Skedaddle  solemnly  uttered  his 
oft-repeated  exclamation,  "  Remarkable ! " 


OR,   THE   EEIGN   OF  TERROR.  129 

In  the  midst  of  this  farcical  scene,  a  man 
came  running  down  the  street  in  breathless 
haste,  crying,  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "  The  Fed- 
erals !  the  Federals !  the  Federals ! " 

"  Eemarkable  ! "  exclaimed  Skedaddle,  takino: 
a  flying  attitude. 

"Heaven  save  us!"  cried  Knickerbocker,  af- 
fecting great  consternation.  "We're  gone  up," 
added  he ;  "  pull  the  flag  down." 

"  Just  so ! "  said  Skedaddle,  starting  to  run ; 
"pull  the  flag  down." 

Great  confusion  ensued,  which  directly  be- 
came a  general  stampede.  Helter-skelter  they 
went,  the  cowardly  renegades  flying  in  every 
direction,  and  hiding  themselves  in  every  con- 
ceivable place. 

An  Irishman,  who  just  came  upon  the  ground 
in  time  to  witness  the  flight  of  the  panic-stricken 
rabble,  and  who  had  learned  that  it  was  a  false 
alarm,  cried  out, — 

"St.  Pater!  what  ligs  they've  goot!  Brave 
min  !  they  outroon  the  wind  !  Coom  bock  ! 
coom  bock,  ivery  frightened  divil  of  ye  ! 
There's  niver  a  bit  o'  truth  in  what  they  say ! 


130  THE  STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

"  By  jabers !  ond  ait's  mysilf  thot  wouldn't 
roou  leik  thot  af  all  the  divils  in  the  pit  were 
at  my  hales  !  Proper  stoof  for  sooidiers !  the 
viery  oold  boy  couldn't  kitch  them  !  " 

Dr.  Puff,  having  run  himself  out  of  breath, 
fmally  midertook  to  hide  behind  a  tree  which 
was  too  small,  by  half,  to  conceal  his  enormous 
bulk ;  his  waistband  showed  conspicuously  on 
either  side  of  it.  '^  Heavens  !  "  said  he,  in  his 
perplexity ;  "  I  wish  this  tree  were  larger,  or  else 
myself  were  gaunter.  Surely,  my  dimensions 
never  were  so  great  before  ! " 

It  soon  became  known  that  the  stampede  was 
caused  by  a  false  alarm ;  and  the  dismayed  and 
scattered  chivalry,  one  by  one,  began  to  return. 

Knickerbocker,  who  had  but  little  exhausted 
himself  in  flight,  was  the  first  to  get  back. 

"  A  weak  invention  of  the  enemy,"  said  he  to 
Patrick,  the  Irishman,  with  great  seeming  mor- 
tification. 

"May  the  Divil  take  the  waked  sinner  that 
meiks  a  brave  mon  show  the  w^hite  fither,"  said 
Patrick,  with  a  leer. 

"  Upon   my  word,  Pat,"   remarked   Knicker- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  131 

bocker,  with  apparent  seriousness,  "  I  cannot 
help  having  a  secret  admiration  for  the  Irish 
soldier  who  saved  his  hfe  by  buckling  his  breast- 
plate on  behind." 

"Faith!  ond  thot  Irishmon  moost  o'  been  boorn 
in  Amiriky.'' 

Now  back  came  Dr.  Puff  and  Mr.  Skedaddle ; 
the  latter,  looking  somewhat  chop-fallen,  said, 
"  Remarkable ! " 

"A  Black  Republican  fabrication  I "  exclaimed 
the  former,  ill-naturedly. 

"And  only  meant  for  our  vexation,"  chimed 
in  Knickerbocker. 

"  By  jabers !  I  seed  'em  mysilf,"  said  Pat ; 
"bad  luck  to  them  !  but  not  Fiderals, —  our 
own  min  they  were ;  ond  rigular  jay-hookers  1 " 

"  Is  that  so,  Patrick  ?  "  demanded  Dr.  Puff. 

"  Sure's  the  Divil's  a  sinner,  yer  honor,"  an- 
swered Pat,  with  great  earnestness. 

"  Why,  in  the  deuce,  did  we  run  ?  "  muttered 
the  doctor,  half-audibly,  and  as  if  out  of  humor 
with  himself  for  betraying  such  cowardice. 

"  Faith !  ond  yer  honest  ligs  wouldn't  stand ; 
and  aisn't  that  rason  enoof  ? "     Then,  to  himself, 


132  THE  STARS  AND   BARS; 

said,  "  Sooldiers  are  made  of  daferent  stoof. 
Upon  my  sowl,  thase  blusterin'  rebels  brag  and 
roon,  roon  and  brag.  'Taise  a  tight  race  'twaixt 
ligs  ond  toongue ;  the  viry  Divil  can't  till 
whaich'll  wun ! " 

Dr.  Puff,  anxious  to  put  the  best  possible  face 
on  the  disgraceful  affair,  looked  up  at  the  flag, 
and,  waving  his  hat,  said,  — 

"  Wave  on,  gallant  banner,  wave ! " 

"  Wave  over  the  sons  of  the  brave ! "  added 
Knickerbocker,  in  an  ironical  tone,  and  waving 
his  hat  with  mock  gesture. 

"  Just  so ! "  said  Skedaddle ;  "  over  the  sons  of 
the  brave ! " 

Patrick  thought  it  was  time  for  him  to  chime 
in ;  so,  taking  off  his  torn  and  tattered  beaver 
and  waving  it  in  circles  round  his  head, 
shouted,  — 

"  Long  lave  Master  Skedaddle  !  waith  a  joomp 
ond  a  spraddle  he  daistanced  the  foe ! " 

"  Plague  take  the  Irishman !  "  said  Dr.  Pufl^ 
aside,  to  Skedaddle ;  "  he's  impudent." 

"  Just  so  !  —  impudent." 


OR,   THE  REIGN  OP  TERROR.  133 

The  day  was  spent,  as  many  others  had  been 
before  it,  in  noise  and  bustle,  empty  words  and 
vaporing,  and  ended  in  a  general  spree,  all  going 
home  drunk. 


12 


134 


THE  STAES   AlfD  BAES  ; 


CHAPTER    X. 


"  Firm  in  his  loyalty  he  stood, 
And  prompt  to  seal  it  with  his  blood." 


*HERE  resided  in  the  country,  a 
short  distance  from  Platte  City,  an 
old  citizen  of  Missouri,  whom  the 
secessionists  had  sought  hard  to 
win  over  to  their  disloyal  cause 
on  account  of  his  wealth  and  in- 
fluence. He  was  a  man  of  few 
words,  but  of  sound  judgment,  wisdom,  and 
discretion.  Attentive  to  his  own  business,  he 
had  kept  himself  at  home,  avoiding  crowds, 
town-meetings,  and  all  scenes  of  tumult  and 
excitement,  until  the  work  of  violence,  house- 
burning,  robbery,  and  assassination  had  com- 
menced in  terrible  earnest. 

His  first  step  in  taking  an  open  stand  against 
secession   was    to   hang   out   the   star-spangled 


OR,  THE  REIGN   OP  TERROR.  135 

banner  over  his  own  door.  The  flag  was  a 
magnificent  one^  —  ample  in  its  folds,  of  finest 
tissue,  and  surmounted  by  a  large  eagle ;  and 
also  a  beautiful  picture  of  the  Goddess  of  Lib- 
erty putting  her  foot  upon  the  head  of  a  coiled 
rattlesnake. 

A  few  days  after  it  was  flung  to  the  breeze,  a 
band  of  armed  ruffians  made  their  appearance 
at  the  old  man's  gate. 

"Mr.  Marlow,"  said  the  captain  of  the  com- 
pany, "  what  means  this  display  of  the  old  Yan- 
kee flag?" 

"  Who  taught  you,  sir,  thus  to  stigmatize  our 
nation's  ensign,  —  the  glorious  old  flag  of  the 
Union?"  responded  the  patriot. 

"  No  matter,"  returned  the  captain ;  ''  it  must 
straightway  come  down." 

"  Be  not  too  positive." 

"  My  orders  must  be  promptly  obeyed." 

"  Your  words  and  manner  have  too  much  of 
the  crack  of  the  overseer's  whip  3  from  being 
accustomed,  perhaps,  to  giving  orders  at  negro 
quarters.  If  1  mistake  not,  you  were  a  hireling 
in  that  business  before  you  entered  upon  your 
present  occupation  of  jay-hawking." 


136  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

"  I've  neither  time  nor  patience  to  argue  with 
any  Black  Republican.  The  decree  has  gone 
forth  that  the  old  stars  and  stripes  can  no  longer 
float  over  Missouri  soil." 

"  Heaven  grant  I  may  not  live  to  see  that 
day  1 " 

"  If  your  prayer  is  answered,  'tis  time  your 
grave  was  dug." 

The  old  patriot,  lifting  his  eyes  to  the  ban- 
ner, and  gazing  upon  it  in  silence  for  a  few  mo- 
ments as  it  floated  gracefully  upon  the  breeze, 
said,  — 

"  I  love  that  flag,  —  that  good  old  flag,  —  and 
have  entwined  each  thread  of  the  glorious  tissue 
about  my  heart-strings." 

"  I'd  much  rather  hear  of  some  hemp  being 
entwined  round  your  neck,  you  infernal  aboli- 
tionist ! "  muttered  one  of  the  ruflians. 

"  Hemp  is  for  the  necks  of  traitors,"  retorted 
Marlow,  calmly;  and,  looking  up  again  at  the 
flag,  said,  "  The  stars  and  stripes  have  floated 
over  my  cradle,  and  it  is  my  prayer  that  they 
may  float  over  my  grave." 

"  You'd  better  die,  then,  in  some  other  coun- 
try than  this,"  answered  the  captain,  morosely. 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  137 

''  It  matters  little  where,  so  I  but  fill  a  patriot's 
grave,"  returned  Marlow,  calmly. 

"You've  heard  my  orders;  take  down  the  flag." 

"That  banner,  sirs,"  said  the  old  man,  with 
deep  feehng,  and  with  spontaneous  and  impres- 
sive eloquence,  "  is,  in  my  eyes,  an  emblem  of 
all  that  is  grand  in  human  history,  and  of  all 
that  is  transporting  in  human  hope.  And  if  it 
is  to  be  sacrificed  on  the  altars  of  a  Satanic 
ambition,  and  disappear  forever  amid  the  night 
and  tempest  of  revolution,  then  may  I  feel  that 
the  sun  has  been  stricken  from  the  sky  of  my 
life  ;  and  that  henceforth  I  am  to  be  but  a  wan- 
derer and  an  outcast,  with  nought  but  the  bread 
of  sorrow  and  of  penury  for  my  hps,  and  with 
hands  ever  outstretched  in  feebleness  and  sup- 
plication, on  which,  in  any  hour,  a  military 
tyrant  may  rivet  the  fetters  of  a  despairing 
bondage.  May  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  save 
you  and  me,  and  the  land  we  so  much  love, 
from  such  a  degradation  ! " 

"  Our  business  is  to  see  that  this  flag  is  taken 
down,"  said  the  captain,  impatiently,  and  in  a 
tone  of  anger. 


12* 


138  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

"  I  want  us  to  gaze  upon  that  flag,  that  per- 
adventure  we  may  catch  the  spirit  that  breathes 
upon  us  from  the  battle-fields  of  our  fathers.  I 
am  resolved  that,  come  weal  or  woe,  I  will,  in 
life  and  in  death,  now  and  forever,  stand  by  the 
stars  and  stripes." 

*'  Then  must  you  leave  the  State  of  Missouri, 
and  follow  that  emblem  of  Black  Republicanism 
in  some  other  part  of  the  earth." 

"  This  country  is  my  home,  and  the  home  of 
those  who  are  near  and  dear  to  me.  Here  our 
children  were  born,  and  here  is  our  all;  and 
here  have  we  the  right  to  remain  unmolested." 

"  Not  if  you're  opposed  to  secession." 

"  As  free  men,  we  are  wont  to  boast  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty ;  and  we  have  gloried  in 
the  freedom  of  speech,  and  in  the  freedom  of 
the  press.  Can  we  any  longer  glory  in  these,  or 
boast  that  ours  is  a  land  of  freedom,  if  we  are 
disallowed  to  speak  freely  our  political  opinions, 
and  disallowed  to  sit  beneath  the  ensis-n  that 
our  fathers  were  proud  of,  and  which  all  nations 
respect  ?  Great  God  !  has  it  come  to  this,  that 
our  country,  that  liberty,  rights  of  conscience, 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  139 

and  everything  sacred,  is  to  be  sacrificed  to  tlie 
institution  of  slavery  ?  " 

"  We've  heard  enough.  That  flag  must  come 
down." 

"  And  are  you  Americans  ?  the  sons  of  sires 
who,  in  ^the  days  that  tried  men's  souls,'  fol- 
lowed the  stars  and  stripes  over  ensanguined 
fields,  and  through  many  a  storm  of  leaden  hail 
where  fierce  battle  raged  ?  The  descendants  of 
patriots  who  helped  plant  the  tree  of  liberty, 
and  who  watered  it  with  their  blood,  can  you 
find  it  in  your  hearts  to  pull  down  and  trample 
upon  -that  flag  ?  Can  you  dishonor  our  coun- 
try's banner,  —  that  banner  which  has  been  un- 
furled from  the  snows  of  Canada  to  the  plains 
of  New  Orleans,  and  to  the  halls  of  the  Monte- 
zumas,  and  amid  the  solitudes  of  every  sea  ? 
And  everywhere,  as  the  luminous  symbol  of 
resistless  and  beneficent  power,  it  has  led  the 
brave  and  the  free  to  victory  and  to  glory ! " 

"  We'll  hear  no  more.  Take  down  the  ac- 
cursed flag ! " 

"/  take  down  that  flag  ?  No,  never !  It  has 
been  my  fortune   to  look  upon  the  stars  and 


140  THE  STARS   AND   BARS: 


stripes  in  foreign  lands,  and  amid  the  gloom  of 
an  Oriental  despotism,  and  right  well  do  I  know, 
by  contrast,  how  bright  are  those  stars,  and  how 
sublime  are  their  inspirations !  I  cannot  take 
down  that  glorious  banner." 

"  Then  we  will  do  it  for  you,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, advancing  with  drawn  sword,  and  followed 
by  his  men. 

"  Not  while  I  am  able  to  defend  it,"  said 
the  brave  patriot,  presenting  a  pistol.  "  Back  ! 
villains,  back !  Traitors,  emissaries  of  hell, 
avaunt ! " 

The  audacious  miscreants  beat  a  hasty  re- 
treat. When  fairly  out  of  harm's  way,  they 
halted  to  look  back,  and  just  in  time  to  hear  the 
patriot's  apostrophe  to  the  waving  stars  and 
stripes. 

"  Float  on,  my  country's  banner !  no  coward 
hand  shall  grapple,  nor  traitor  fingers  defile  or 
trail  thee  in  the*  dust,  while  I  have  an  arm  to 
strike  and  a  soul  to  dare." 

"Upon  my  word,  there's  danger  in  the  fel- 
low," said  the  captain ;  "  perhaps  we'd  better  let 
him  alone  for  the  present." 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  141 

"  So  I  think,"  said  a  subaltern,  "  and  take  him 
on  surprise  some  dark  night  when  he's  asleep." 

This  was  agreed  upon,  and  the  wretches  left 
the  loyal  man's  premises,  but  with  deadly  malice 
in  their  hearts,  and  determined  on  revenge  at 
no  distant  day.  * 


142 


THE  STARS   AND   BARS  J 


CHAPTER    XI. 


"  Thy  head  at  price,  thy  steps  waylaid.** 


'HE  day  following  the  affair  related 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  Mr. 
Rupert,  a  Union-  man  of  Platte 
City,  hastened  to  the  house  of 
Mr.  Marlow,  and,  in  a  fever  of 
excitement,  said  to  the  brave 
patriot,  — 

"My  friend,  I  am  alarmed  for  your  safety. 
Men  are  losing  their  senses ;  the  secession  fever 
is  raging  ;  the  whole  country's  in  a  passion ;  ra- 
pine and  murder  have  come  to  be  the  order  of 
the  day.  Believe  me,  we  cannot  breast  the 
storm,  and  had  as  well  give  it  up." 

"Give  it  up?"  replied  Marlow,  — "  and  what 
then?" 

"  Why,  if  need  be,  float  with  the  tide,  at 
least,  till  the  excitement's  over." 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  143 

"I  know  the  peril,"  responded  the  patriot, 
"  and  I  know  my  duty  too.  Dark  is  the  hour  ; 
the  howl  of  the  storm  is  in  our  ears,  and  the 
lightning's  red  glare  is  painting  terror  on  the 
sky.  But  all  the  more  imperious  is  our  call  to 
duty." 

"  At  such  a  time,  what  can  we  do  ?  Law  and 
order  are  set  aside,  and  a  reign  of  terror  is  now 
inaugurated." 

"  Can  we  be  idle  spectators  of  the  scene,  while 
the  ship  of  State  pitches  and  rolls  under  the 
lashings  of  the  waves,  and  is  in  constant  danger 
of  o:oin<ji:  down  ?" 

"  Ah,  but  I  entreat  you,  consider  the  terrible 
crisis  through  which  we  are  passing,  and  the 
reckless  determination  of  the  revolutionists. 
To  oppose  them  is  to  be  overwhelmed.  De- 
liberately ask  yourself  what  course  wisdom  and 
prudence  would  dictate  under  such  fearful  cir- 
cumstances." 

"  That  have  I  already  done.  Besides,  I've 
considered  the  machinations  by  which  this 
national  tragedy  has  been  brought  upon  us. 
And,* when  I  look  upon  this  bright  land,  a  few 


144  THE   STARS   AND   BARS; 

months  since  so  prosperous,  so  tranquil,  and  now 
behold  it  plunged  into  a  state  of  anarchy,  con- 
flict, and  bloody  strife,  and  being  darkened  and 
desolated,  and  the  hearts  of  millions  bleeding 
and  wrung  with  anguish,  and  know,  as  I  do,  that 
all  this  is  the  work  of  a  score  or  two  of  men, 
who,  over  all  this  national  ruin  and  despair, 
are  preparing  to  carve  with  the  sword  their  way 
to  seats  of  permanent  power,  I  cannot  but  feel 
an  irrepressible  and  burning  indignation ;  and 
that  I  have  a  duty  to  perform  in  opposing  their 
wicked  scheme." 

"  I  grant  you-,  the  authors  of  our  great  trouble 
will  have  much  to  answer  for." 

"  Ah,  they  are  accumulating  upon  their  souls 
an  amount  of  guilt  hardly  equalled  in  all  the 
atrocities  of  treason  and  of  homicide  that  have 
degraded  the  annals  of  our  race  from  the  foun- 
dations of  the  world." 

"But  pray,  what  can  you  and  I  do  by  op- 
posing the  madness  of  the  people  ?  Or  what 
can  all  the  Union  men  in  the  community  accom- 
plish ?  Men  have  lost  their  reason,  and  are 
beino:  transformed  to  brutish  beasts.     AJid  in 


• 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  145 

vain  may  we  appeal  to  the  understandings  or 
the  consciences  of  the  excited  populace ;  they 
have  had  a  taste  of  blood,  and,  like  tigers,  they 
rage  and  are  mad  for  more." 

^^'Tis  even  so.  But  forget  not  that  among 
the  most  powerful  instrumentalities  relied  on  for 
reestablishing  the  authority  of  the  government, 
is  that  of  the  Union  sentiment  of  the  South, 
sustained  by  a  liberated  press.  It  is  now  trod- 
den to  the  earth,  but  rest  assured  we  shall  not 
long  be  left  to  battle  alone  against  the  mob ; 
the  Federal  Government  will  send  us  aid ;  then 
will  loyal  men,  in  dark  sections  like  this,  begin 
to  look  their  oppressors  in  the  face." 

''  Ah,  but  we  may  yet  see  it  here,  as  it  now  is 
in  the  seceded  States ;  there,  no  man  expresses 
an  opinion  opposed  to  the  revolution  but  at  the 
imminent  hazard  of  life  and  property.  The 
only  light  w^hich  is  admitted  into  political  dis- 
cussion is  that  which  flashes  from  the  sword  or 
gleams  from  glistening  bayonets.  And  seces- 
sionists are  doing  all  that  within  them  lies  to 
bring  on  the  same  state  of  things  in  Missouri." 

"  I  trust  a  darkness  so  deep,  dismal,  and  impar- 
ls 


146  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

vioiis  will  never  gather  over  us.  The  ordeal 
through  which  we  are  passing,  doubtless,  will 
involve  immense  suffering  and  losses  for  us  all ; 
but  the  expenditure,  however  great,  will  be  well 
made  if  the  result  shall  be  the  preservation  of 
our  institutions." 

"  That  I  admit,  but  certainly  the  result  is  du- 
bious. Think  of  the  fearful  odds  against  which 
we  must  contend  if  the  Federal  Government 
delays  sending  us  help." 

"  Let  us  not  despair  that  help  will  come.  No 
contest  so  momentous  as  this  has  ever  be- 
fore arisen  in  human  history;  for,  amid  all  the 
conflicts  of  men  and  nations,  the  existence  of  no 
such  a  government  as  ours  has  ever  been  at 
stake." 

"  True,  most  true." 

"  Our  fathers  won  our  independence  by  the 
blood  and  sacrifice  of  a  seven-years'  war ;  and 
we  have  maintained  it  against  the  assaults  of 
the  greatest  power  upon  the  earth  ;  and  the 
question  now  is,  whether  we  are  to  perish  by 
our  own  hands,  and  have  the  epitaph  of  suicide 
written  ipon  our  tomb  ! " 


OR.   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  147 

"  The  force  of  your  argument  I  grant;  but  the 
perplexing  question  still  returns.  What  can 
we  do?" 

"Be  not  troubled  about  that ;  we  can  all  do 
something  in  this  noble  struggle." 

"  I  see  not  how." 

"  It  is  a  contest  between  right  and  wrong ; 
betw^een  loyal  men  and  traitors,  and  between 
freedom  and  slavery.  A  great  work  is  to  be 
done,  and  each  one  of  us  can  take  a  part.  The 
remorseless  agitators  at  the  South,  who  made 
the  revolution,  and  now  hold  its  reins,  must 
be  discarded  alike  from  the  public  confidence 
and  the  public  service.  The  country,  in  its 
agony,  is  feeling  their  power ;  and,  although  it 
may  be  difficult  to  overthrow  the  ascendancy 
they  have  secured,  yet  it  must  be  done." 

"But  can  they  be  overthrown?" 

"  If  the  Union  men  of  the  Slave  States  would 
but  rise  up  with  one  accord,  they'd  find  them- 
selves fully  equal  to  the  emergency." 

"  Uncertain.  Treason  has  its  emissaries,  and  the 
rebellion  its  secret  agents,  going  forth  night  and 
day,  lighting  the  fires,  and  finning  the  flames  of 
civil  war." 


148  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

^'  Let  such  emissaries  and  agitators  perish  po- 
litically and  forever.  ^A  breath  can  unmake 
them  as  a  breath  has  made ; '  but  destroy  this 
Republic,  and,  ^  where  is  that  promethean  art 
that  can  its  light  relume  ? '  Once  entombed, 
when  will  the  angel  of  the  resurrection  descend 
to  the  portals  of  its  sepulchre  ?  There's  not  a 
voice  which  comes  to  us  from  the  cemetery  of 
nations  that  does  not  answer.  Never  !  never !  " 

"  Said  a  great  French  statesman  to  an  Ameri- 
can citizen,  a  few  months  since,  '  Your  Republic 
is  dead  ;  and  it  is  probably  the  last  the  world 
will  ever  see.  You  will  have  a  reign  of  terror, 
and,  aftetf  that,  two  or  three  monarchies.' " 

"  Should  this  revolution  succeed,  his  words  may 
be  venfied.  But  it  must  not  succeed.  There  is 
loyalty  enough  in  the  land  to  arrest  it ;  it  surely 
will  be  arrested." 

"Heaven  grant  it  may,"  said  Rupert;  and  took 
his  depf^rture  without  having  accomplished  the 
object  cf  his  visit. 

Thovgh  undecided  as  to  what  might  be  the 
best  policy,  Rupert  belonged  not  to  that  class  of 
men  who  wavered  between  union  and  secession. 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  149 

He  had  no  temptation  to  espouse  the  rebel  cause; 
but  seemed  to  think  himself  justifiable  in  tak- 
ing a  neutral  position  for  the  sake  of  being 
more  secure  in  person  and  property.  This 
course,  under  some  circumstances,  was  certainly 
justifiable.  While  a  true  patriot  is  ready  and 
willing  to  make  sacrifices,  at  the  same  time,  he 
should  place  too  much  value  on  his  life  to 
hazard  it  when  nothing  beneficial  to  his  country 
is  likely  to  be  achieved  thereby.  The  most 
despicable  class  of  men  we  had  in  Missouri  were 
those  w^ho  were  ready  to  be  bought  and  sold, 
and  who,  for  money,  would  fight  on  either  side. 
The  majority  of  these  unprincipled  wretches  ul- 
timately went  into  guerrilla  bands ;  professed  to 
be  the  champions  of  Southern  rights  and  de- 
fenders of  the  people,  yet  they  w^ould  rob  or 
murder  friend  or  foe  as  interest  or  passion 
prompted. 

In  less  than  a  fortnight  from  the  time  the 
band  of  ruffians  went  to  Marlow's  to  take  down 
the  stars  and  stripes,  the  good  old  patriot  was 
surprised  at  dead  of  night,  dragged  from   his 

18* 


150  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

pillow,  and  assassinated  in  the  presence  of  his 
wife  and  children. 

After  this  bloody  deed,  —  this  most  atrocious 
and  savage  murder, — the  assassins  drove  out  the 
surviving  members  of  the  family,  without  even 
giving  them  time  to  attire  themselves  decently, 
and  then  dismantled  the  house  and  set  it  on  fire, 
—  reducing  to  ashes  what  they  could  not  carry 
off,  —  and,  with  the  dwelling,  consumed  the 
body  of  their  murdered  victim. 


OE,  THE  REIGN  OF  TEEEOE. 


151 


CHAPTER    XII 


"  This  is  the  crisis  of  my  fate." 


ACQUEEN,  returning  at  a  late 

hour  one  night  from  the  Castle, 

after  a  clandestine  meeting  with 

^  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle, 

thus  discoursed  to  himself:  — 

"Why  do  I  hesitate?  The 
spice  of  danger  but  gives  relish 
to  great  achievements,  and  sweetens  the  w'me  of 
success.  Give  me  something  to  win,  something 
to  lose,  else  life  grows  tame,  and  its  best  joys 
stale. 

"  God  has  given  me  ambition ;  and  for  what, 
if  not  to  climb,  to  shine,  to  soar  ?  " 

Macqueen,  though  by  no  means  a  good  man, 
yet  was  far  from  being  the  worst  man  in  the 
world.  He  possessed  a  nature  that  easily  as- 
similated itself  to  surroundings,  and  readily  took 


152  THE  STABS   AXD   BARS  ; 

on  the  moral  tone  and  coloring  of  minds  anj 
hearts  with  which  he  was  brought  into  contact 
The  good  and  the  evil  within  him  were  alike 
easily  excited  and  brought  into  play.  His  con- 
science, though  elastic,  was  not  seared  ;  fre- 
quently seized  with  qualms,  it  gave  him  much 
trouble  ;  consequently  he  was  always  sinning 
and  repenting.  His  Avife,  who  had  a  powerful 
mfluence  over  him,  had  repeatedly  brought  him 
almost  to  the  point  of  abandoning  secession  and 
discarding  his  rebel  associates ;  but  as  soon  as 
he  came  in  contact  again  with  vile  traitors  and 
cunning,  intriguing  politicians,  he  was  at  once 
imbued  with  their  spirit  and  sentiments,  and, 
thereby,  lost  the  more  wholesome  and  salutary 
influence  which  his  wife  had  exerted  upon  him. 
This  frailty,  together  with  an  inordinate  ambi- 
tion for  distinction,  had  much  to  do  in  making: 
him  disloyal  to  his  country.  Besides  this,  being 
a  member  of  the  Inner  Temple  of  the  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle,  he  was  bound  by  treacher- 
ous and  disloyal  oaths  to  aid  treason  and  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  secession.  Yet  his  better  na- 
ture frequently  revolted  at  measures  of  cruelty 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  153 

and  injustice  advocated  in  the  Castle,  and  some- 
times adopted  by  the  Order. 

On  the  occasion  alluded  to  above,  he  had 
been  promoted  to  the  highest  office  in  the  In- 
ner Temple,  which  vastly  inflated  his  vanity, 
and  spurred  anew  his  vaulting  ambition.  When 
the  Castle  adjourned,  which  was  sometime  after 
midnight,  he  repaired  homeward  with  his  mind 
full  of  golden  dreams  and  magnificent  air-cas- 
tles. 

As  the  clock  struck  twelve,  Mrs.  Macqueen 
had  risen  from  her  sleepless  pillow  and  seated 
herself  at  the  w^indow  of  her  chamber  to  look 
on  the  waning  moon  and  think  about  her  absent 
husband. 

"Oh,  this  is  terrible!"  exclaimed  she,  while 
conversing  with  her  own  heart.  "  My  husband 
disloyal!  the  father  of  my  children  guilty  of 
treason,  and  leagued  with  conspirators  and  the 
enemies  of  his  country !  Kind  Heaven,  how 
shall  I  endure  it  ?  Oh,  what  fiend  could  have 
put  this  madness  into  his  brain  ?  " 

While  these  painful  thoughts  were  revolving 
in  her  mind,  and  escaping   her  lips  in  words 


154  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

softly  and  sadly  uttered,  Macqueen  entered  her 
chamber,  manifestly  so  occupied  with  his  own 
imaginings  as  to  be  oblivious  of  everything  else. 

"How  strange  you  have  grown  of  late,  Mr. 
Macqueen ! "  observed  his  wife,  after  waiting  in 
vain  for  him  to  speak  first. 

"Strange,  —  how  strange?"  replied  he,  as  if 
scarcely  conscious  of  where  he  was  or  what  he 
said. 

"You  look  and  act,"  said  she,  "like  one  asleep 
and  dreaming  strange  dreams." 

"  Trulj^,  I've  been  dreaming,"  returned  he,  — 
"  have  had  a  magnificent  dream." 

"I  hope  it  was  an  honest  dream,"  returned 
she. 

"I  only  wish  I  could  describe  to  you,  my 
dear,"  said  the  husband,  with  animation,  "the 
sparkling,  gorgeous  visions  that  have  to-night 
been  floating  before  my  mind's  eye  in  such  daz- 
zling splendor !  —  visions  of  thrones,  crowns,  and 
sceptres!  visions  of  royalty,  —  of  purple  robes, 
flashing  diamonds,  and  a  brilliant  retinue  !  ay, 
and  a  new  race,  of  nobles,  princes,  and  prin- 
cesses ! " 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  155 

"I  sadly  fear  there's  lunacy  working  on  his 
brain/'  said  his  wife  to  herself^  gazing  upon  him. 
with  anxiety  and  amazement. 

"And  I've  been  pondering,"  continued  he, 
"the  lessons  of  history, — ruminating  upon  what 
has  been,  and  speculating  on  what  might  be. 
I've  called  to  mind  how  ancient  republics  have 
fallen,  and  how  from  their  ruins  kingdoms,  em- 
pires, and  monarchies  have  risen  up." 

"  On  what  vagaries  he  feeds  his  vain  hope  ! " 
said  Mrs.  Macqueen,  mentally,  while  the  dark- 
ness of  despair  gathered  about  her  heart. 

"  And,  not  all  forgetful  of  my  humble  origin," 
he  yet  continued,  "I've  recounted  instances  in 
which  intrepid,  daring  spirits  have,  from  obscu- 
rity, suddenly  emerged,  and,  bravely  mounting 
up  the  slippery  steeps  of  Fame,  stood  upon  her 
very  pinnacle ! " 

"What  is  all  this  harangue  about?"  demanded 
his  wife ;  at  the  same  time  seizing  hold  of  and 
shaking  him  violently,  as  if  to  rouse  him  from  a 
deep  sleep.  "  Wake  up  to  your  right  senses ! " 
cried  she ;  "  surely,  you  are  going  mad ! " 

"Mad!"  echoed  the  husband,  peevishly j  "that's 


156  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

just  like  a  woman;  youVe  no  appreciation  of 
my  great  ideas ! " 

"Like  the  sun-painted  clouds  of  a  summer 
evening,  your  gaudy  visions  will  soon  wear  a 
leaden  hue,  fade,  and  disappear." 

"  Prophesy  against  me,  if  you  will ;  nothing 
can  change  my  purpose ;  I'm  bent  on  mounting 
upward." 

"  Think  not  to  take  away  the  curse  by  mak- 
ing vile  treachery  and  foul  treason  wear  a  gloss." 

"Revolutions  give  opportunity  to  the  aspir- 
ing, the  ambitious,  and  men  of  great  souls." 

"Revolutions  also  give  rare  opportunities  to 
knaves,  who  are  ready  to  seize  upon  the  misfor- 
tunes of  their  country  to  benefit  themselves." 

"  Madam,  you  have  no  conception  of  my  aspi- 
rations." 

"  Ah,  lofty,  I  dare  say ;  but  I'll  venture  to 
guess  just  what  they  are  :  You  anticipate  the 
triumph  of  the  slave-power,  and  imagine,  when 
despotism  is  ready  to  distribute  the  rewards  of 
treason,  by  putting  sceptres  into  the  hands  of  a 
swarm  of  petty  kings,  that  you  will  find  your- 
self on  a  throne.    This  is  the  length  and  breadth 


OR,  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  157 

of  your  ambition  and  the  height  of  your  tower- 
ing aspirations.  And  this  accounts  for  your 
waking  dream,  which,  I  predict,  will  turn  oat 
but  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision." 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Castle,  Mac- 
queen  was  deej)ly  afflicted  by  a  decree  of  the 
Order,  which  sealed  the  fate  of  a  young  man, 
who  had  left  the  fraternity  and  divulged  some 
of  the  secrets  of  the  Inner  Temple.  He  op- 
posed the  decree  of  death,  but  it  was  passed  over 
his  head. 

A  committee  of  three  were  appointed  to  exe- 
cute the  bloody  decree. 

The  offender  resided  a  short  distance  in  the 
country,  and  the  day  following  he  walked  into 
town  on  an  errand,  just  after  nightfall,  pur- 
chased some  goods,  and,  taking  the  bundle  on 
his  shoulder,  started  immediatelj^  homeward. 

The  committee  of  assassins,  being  on  the 
alert,  followed  him.  Leaving  the  main  road, 
the  young  man,  to  save  distance,  took  a  narrow 
path,  which  led  through  a  lonely  grove.  Think- 
ing of  no  danger,  and  carrying  a  bundle  on  his 
shoulder,  he  looked  not  back,  but  slowly  walked 

14 


158  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  : 


on,  whistling  all  the  while  to  keep  himself  com- 
pany. In  the  midst  of  the  solitary  way,  the 
assassin  whose  lot  it  was  to  strike  the  first  blow 
might  have  been  seen  softly  treading  at  his  vic- 
tim's heels,  with  a  drawn  dagger,  which  gleamed 
fearfully  bright  in  the  light  of  the  moon. 

Macqneen,  whose  conscience  had  been  tor- 
turing him  terribly,  and  whose  mind  had  become 
almost  frantic,  thinking  of  the  foul  and  bloody 
deed  which  he  knew  was  in  contemplation,  had 
observed  the  assassins  following:  the  doomed 
man  out  of  the  village.  Upon  the  impulse  of 
the  moment,  he  pencilled  a  line  of  warning,  and, 
putting  it  into  the  hand  of  a  slave,  sent  it  after 
the  young  man ;  the  servant  was  charged  to 
make  haste,  and  to  deliver  the  note  without  a 
word  of  explanation,  or  telling  who  sent  it. 
Unfortunately,  the  slave  took  the  wrong  road, 
and,  going  to  the  young  man's  home,  gave  the 
mysterious  note  to  his  father. 

In  the  mean  time,  Macqueen,  fearing  the  slave 
would  fail  to  overtake  the  vouns;  man  in  time, 
had  followed  the  parties  himself,  and  with  all 
possible  speed  ;  and,  but  for  losing  his  breath  in 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  159 

making  such  haste,  so  as  to  be  unable  at  once 
to  speak,  he  woukl  have  saved  the  poor  man's 
life.  He  had  got  in  full  view  of  the  assassins 
and  their  victim,  and  in  time  to  see  the  fatal 
blow  struck.  The  murderers,  seeing  Macqueen 
coming,  and  not  knowing  who  he  was,  imme- 
diately fled.  On  approaching  the  murdered 
man,  who  was  just  breathing  his  last  breath, 
Macqueen  so  gave  way  to  feelings  of  pity  and 
remorse  that  he  almost  lost  his  reason.  After 
gazing  for  a  few  moments  with  unspeakable 
agony  upon  the  face  of  the  dead  man,  he  turned 
about  and  retraced  his  steps  homeward,  weeping 
as  he  w^ent,  and  ever  and  anon  incoherently 
talking  to  himself  like  a  maniac.  As  he  neared 
the  village,  he  met  the  father  of  the  unfortu- 
nate young  man,  hunting  his  son,  and  in  great 
distress  of  mind,  caused  by  the  mysterious  note 
he  had  received,  which  dimly  hinted  at  assassina- 
tion, but  explained  nothing  satisfactorily.  The 
fears  of  the  disconsolate  father  were  greatly  in- 
creased when  he  discovered  the  frantic  state  of 
mind  Macqueen  was  in. 

After  being  plied  with  sundry  questions,  the 


160  THE  STARS   AND   BARi  ; 

latter  said,  "My  hands  are  unstained,  but  my 
tongue  is  tied.  What  I  know  I  dare  not  re- 
veal." 

But  after  being  much  urged  by  the  unhappy 
man  to  tell  what  he  knew,  he  looked  away, 
saying,— 

"  I  will  talk  into  the  air ; 
What  I  say  let  no  man  hear." 

Then  in  solemn  tones  he  gave  utterance  to  the 
following  words  :  — 

"  *Twas  on  the  road,  the  lonely  road, 

Under  the  still  white  moon,  — 
Under  the  silent  trees  he  strode. 

He  whistled  and  shifted  his  weary  load,  — 
He  whistled  a  foolish  tune. 

Another's  step  timed  with  his  own, 
A  figure  that  stooped  and  bowed ; 

And  a  keen  white  blade  that  gleamed  and  shone 
Like  a  splinter  of  daylight  downward  thrown ; 

And  the  moon  behind  a  cloud 
Then  came  out  so  broad  and  good, 

The  barn-fowl  woke  and  crowed  ; 
He  ruffled  his  feathers  in  drowsy  mood, 
While  the  brown  owl  called  out  to  his  mate  in  the  wood, 

That  a  dead  man  lay  in  the  road." 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  161 

''  Great  God  !  they  have  murdered  him  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  old  man,  and  at  once  hurried  on 
in  the  direction  which  Macqueen  mysteriously 
pointed,  as  he  closed  his  strangely-told  story. 

The  reader  may  be  curious  to  know  whether 
proper  efforts  were  made  to  bring  the  assassins 
to  justice.  What  v/ould  have  been  the  use? 
Law  was  set  aside,  justice  trampled  under  foot, 
and  courts  of  judicature  entirely  set  aside.  Be- 
sides, nobody  dared,  at  that  time,  to  call  to  an 
account,  for  murder  or  any  other  crime,  a 
Knio-ht  of  the  Golden  Circle.  Not  only  so,  as- 
sassinations  were  so  common  that  nobody  was 
surprised  when  a  murder  occurred ;  nor  was  it 
expected  that  the  murderer  would  be  brought 
to  justice,  unless  some  friend  of  the  slain  should 
take  vengeance  into  his  own  hands,  and  shoot 
or  stab  the  guilty  wretch  at  an  unexpected  mo- 
ment. 


162 


THE   STARS   AND   BAES  J 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


"  The  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursuettu" 

vcT^^^^ss^jjj]  reader  must  expect  but  a  dis- 
jointed story,  since  the  author  is 
bound  to  confine  his  narrative 
mainly  to  the  actual  events  that 
transpired  around  him,  and  at 
a  period  when  the  times  were 
out  of  joint,  and  everything  in 
a  state  of  sad  confusion  and  wild  disorder. 
The  characters  already  introduced  are  by  no 
means  dismissed ;  but,  while  following  them,  in 
their  various  careers,  through  troublous  times 
and  the  fortunes  of  war,  it  is  deemed  proper 
and  expedient  to  give  some  of  the  most  promi- 
nent incidents  and  scenes,  whether  of  a  serious 
or  ludicrous  character,  that  happened  in  the  in- 
terim. 

In  a  work  of  imagination  merely,  the  reader 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  163 

has  the  right  to  expect  a  harmonious  plot,  a 
well-connected  story,  and  a  happy  denouement; 
but,  in  a  narrative  of  facts,  no  such  thing  can  be 
reasonably  looked  for. 

In  the  midst  of  our  troubles  in  Missouri,  we 
occasionally  had  something  to  laugh  at,  as  well 
as  a  great  deal  to  cry  about. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  '61,  we 
had  for  our  entertainment,  every  few  days, 
more  or  less  of  tragi-comedy.  Nothing  could 
have  been  more  comical,  farcical,  and  ludicrous 
than  some  of  our  stampedes.  And  but  for  the 
terrible  trag-edies  that  were  often  enacted  in 
such  close  connection  with  the  stampedes,  they 
would  have  set  the  whole  world  in  a  roar. 

Rumors  of  the  coming  of  Federal  troops 
were  perpetually  on  the  wing  for  at  least  a 
fortnight  before  any  were  seen.  And,  during 
that  time,  the  dashing  of  guerrilla  bands  to 
and  fro  over  the  country,  who  v/ere  not  unfre- 
quently  mistaken,  in  the  night-time,  for  Federal 
soldiers,  caused  frequent  panics  among  seces- 
sionists. 

To  see  a  scared  rebel  —  who  had  been  fright- 


164  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

ened  out  of  his  wits  at  sight  of  a  dozen  guer- 
rillas, whom  he  had  taken  for  a  whole  regiment 
of  Union  troops — coming  into  town,  under  whip 
and  spur,  with  his  hat  off,  and  his  hair  and  coat- 
tail  streaming  wildly  in  the  air,  his  face  pale  as 
a  ghost,  and  his  eyes  glaring  like  Macbeth's 
when  Banquo's  bloody  apparition  shook  his 
gory  locks  at  him,  —  and  then  to  see  him  rise 
in  his  stirrups,  as  he  neared  the  village,  and  cry, 
"Federals!  Federals!  Federals!"  at  the  top 
of  his  voice,  to  the  no  little  danger  of  splitting 
his  throat,  —  was  certainly  ludicrous  beyond  th& 
power  of  language  to  describe.  And  then  to 
see  the  villagers  run,  —  breaking  full  speed  in 
every  direction  for  the  woods,  the  cornfields,  and 
hempfields,  —  even  the  most  vivid  imagination, 
without  having  w^itnessed  such  a  scene,  cannot 
conceive  the  laughable  appearance  it  really  has. 
Oh  that  some  great  artist,  some  master  painter, 
had  looked  upon  one  of  those  scenes  and  made 
a  picture  for  future  generations  ! 

I  will  here  attempt  a  brief  description  of  the 
seventh  stampede  we  had  at  Platte  City. 

The  busy  tongue  of  report  had  somehow  set 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  165 

on  foot  the  startling  rumor,  after  many  false 
alarms  and  needless  flights,  that  a  regiment  of 
Union  soldiers  were  really  coming  from  St. 
Joseph,  to  take  the  town. 

A  rebel  company  of  fifty  men,  called  the 
Tio-ers,  who  made  Platte  City  their  headquar- 
ters,  mounted  their  Mexican  ponies,  swearing 
vengeance  against  the  Yankees,  and  set  out, 
with  great  show  of  bravery,  to  meet  and  drive 
back  the  invaders.* 

Near  the  same  time,  another  rebel  company, 
called  the  Lions,  who  made  New  Market  their 
rallying  place,  hearing  the  same  report,  seized 
their  ^^-uns,  mounted  their  horses,  and  started 
for  Platte  City,  expecting  there  to  join  the 
Tio^ers,  and  make  a  stand  against  the  Yankees. 

Now  New  Market  was  twelve  miles  north  of 
Platte  City  on  the  St.  Joseph  road;  conse- 
quently, these  companies  had  to  meet  some- 
where on  the  way.  Yet  each  squad  was  igno- 
rant of  the  movements   and  intentions  of  the 

other. 

About  half-way  between  the  places,  the  Lions 
and   Tigers    came    in    sight    of    one    another. 


166  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

The  road  being  dry  and  the  sun  hot,  an  im- 
mense cloud  of  dust,  of  course,  enveloped  each 
squadron,  which  afforded  a  fine  opportunity 
for  the  imagination  to  work ;  which  easily  mag- 
nified a  small  body  of  horsemen,  dimly  seen, 
into  an  army  of  gigantic  proportions. 

The  Tigers,  or  Platte  City  Braves,  as  they 
were  sometimes  called,  making  sure  they  had 
met  the  enemy,  wheeled  quickly  about,  and, 
plunging  their  shanghai  spifrs  into  the  sides  of 
their  ponies,  made  straight  skirts  and  horizontal 
tails  back  toward  Platte  City. 

The  Lions,  or  New  Market  boys,  had  them- 
selves pulled  up,  and  were  upon  the  point  of 
flying,  a  moment  before  the  Tigers  took  to  their 
heels ;  but  now,  taking  the  hint  who  the  other 
party  were,  and  what  had  caused  their  panic, 
and  well  pleased  to  see  the  Tigers  run,  they 
concluded  to  follow  on  and  make  the  most  of 
the  fun ;  so,  plying  whip  and  spur,  they  gave 
chase  to  the  flying  braves,  who,  the  more  ter- 
rified at  finding  themselves  hotly  pursued,  at 
once  threw  their  guns  and  every  cumbrous 
thing  to  the  winds,  that,  thus  unencumbered, 
they    might   make   the   greater   speed. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  167 

This  SO  amused  the  Lions  that  they  pressed 
on  the  faster,  and  directly  raised  a  hideous  yell 
that  almost  frightened  the  poor  fugitives  out  of 
their  wits. 

Now,  convinced  that  it  was  life  or  death,  the 
panic-stricken  Tigers  resolved  not  to  spare  horse- 
flesh. Leaning  forward,  as  if  anxious  to  out- 
travel  their  scudding  ponies,  they  plied,  with 
might  and  main,  their  cruel  heels  to  the  reek- 
ing, gory  flanks  of  their  poor  animals.  So  flist 
they  went,  the  wind  took  off*  their  hats  and 
seemed  seriously  to  threaten  their  streaming 
locks.  Such  a  flight,  spurred  on  by  such  fright, 
perhaps  never  before  was  seen. 

While  all  this  was  transpiring,  a  large  armed 
force  of  rebels,  jay-hawkers,  and  guerrillas  had 
gathered  into  Platte  City,  and  were  about  fol- 
lowing in  the  wake  of  the  brave  Tigers,  to  help 
drive  back  the  invading-  Yankees.  Before  tak- 
ing  up  their  li^e  of  march,  liowever,  they 
deemed  it  expedient  to  call  on  John  Barleycorn, 
prime  their  pans,  and  take  a  snort  of  red-eye. 

About  one-half  of  the  army  dismounted  op- 
posite   the    drinking-saloon,   leaving   the    other 


168  THE  STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

half  to  hold  their  horses,  while  they,  with  pitch- 
ers, pint-cups,  and  glass  tumblers,  passed  round 
the  courage-inspiring  beverage,  —  first  to  those 
still  in  their  saddles. 

All  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  out,  of 
course,  to  see  and  cheer  the  chivalrous  defenders 
of  Southern  rights. 

Right  in  the  midst  of  this  oh-be-joyful  scene, 
as  fortune  would  have  it,  the  retreating  Tigers, 
in  breathless  haste,  came  tearing  down  the 
dusty  road,  with  the  roaring  Lions  at  their 
heels. 

The  valorous  chivalry  before  John  Barley- 
corn's saloon,  hearing  the  sudden  clatter  of  a 
hundred  horses'  feet,  turned  at  once  to  look  and 
listen. 

The  commander-in-chief,  seated  on  his  stately 
steed,  feather  in  hat  and  sword  by  his  side,  had 
just  received  from  the  hand  of  a  subaltern  a 
brimming  glass,  which  he  held^eneath  his  nose, 
while  he  paused  to  gaze  and  wonder  at  what  he 
heard  and  saw. 

The  sparkling  beverage,  yet  untasted,  trem- 
bled in  his  grasp.    For  once,  though  a  drunkard. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  169 

he  forgot  to  drink.  His  dilating  eyes  looked 
wildly  out  upon  a  huge  cloud  of  dust,  whil^  his 
astonished  ears  drank  in  the  startling  chorus  of 
loud-resounding  hoofs,  which  swelled  upon  the 
circumambient  air  like  the  hoarse  murmur  of 
ocean's  rolling  billows,  as  nearer  and  more  near 
the  thunder  sounded. 

On,  on,  came  the  flying  cavalcade,  as  if  the 
very  De'il  was  bringing  up  the  rear. 

Wildly,  and  more  wildly  the  chieftain  stared ; 
nor  did  he  stare  alone :  all  stared,  stared  with 
all  their  eyes. 

Now,  while  wonder  and  amazement  stood  tip- 
toe, a  mighty  cry  arose  amid  the  waving  throng 
that  crowded  around  John  Barleycorn;  and  from 
lip  to  lip  it  flew :  "  The  tanutl  Yankees  are  com- 
ing ! " 

At  this  the  chief  grew  deadly  pale ;  the  brim- 
ming cup  fell  from  his  palsied  hand;  and  his 
unmoistened  lips  were  heard  to  utter  the  omi- 
nous word,  —  ''Skedaddie ! " 

What  followed,  gentle  reader,  you  should  have 

been  there  to  see.     Jingling  glasses  and  broken 

pitchers  made  merry  music  on  the  rocky  Pave- 
ls 


170  THE  STARS  AXD  BARS; 

ment.  And  there  was  mounting  in  hot  haste ; 
nor  Qid  all  get  mounted  ;  riderless  horses  and 
horseless  riders  might  have  been  seen  scamper- 
ing away  in  dire  confusion. 

In  all  the  hurly-burly,  nothing,  perhaps,  was 
more  noticeable  than  the  dexterity  of  a  guer- 
rilla chief,  who,  in  his  great  haste  to  turn  his 
back  upon  the  advancing  foe,  as  he  supposed, 
mounted  his  war-horse,  facing  the  wrong  way, 
and,  before  discovering  his  mistake,  spurred  his 
charger,  at  the  same  time  clutching  at  his  tail 
for  the  bridle-rein.  By  the  time  the  poor  fellow 
discovered  his  mistake,  he  found  himself  beins: 
carried  backward,  at  full  speed,  into  the  very 
face  of  danger. 

All  in  all,  it  was  a  scene,  the  like  of  which  a 
man  may  not  expect  to  look  upon  more  than 
once  in  a  lifetime. 

It  was  a  real  tragi-comedy,  and,  though 
laughable,  turned  out  altogether  a  disastrous 
stampede.  Frightened  men  and  horses,  sadly 
mixed,  plunging  and  floundering,  went  helter- 
skelter,  running  over  white  and  black,  big  and 
little,  men  and  women. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  171 

The  to^vn  was  soon  cleared,  except  by  the 
unfortunate  creatures  who  were  trampled  under 
foot  and  too  badly  crippled  to  get  away. 

Scarcely  was  the  village  emptied  of  one  set  of 
frightened  rebels  when  it  was  filled  by  another, 
no  less  terrified.  As  soldiers  and  citizens  went 
out  like  a  whirlwind  at  one  end  of  the  town, 
the  dismayed  Tigers  and  yelling  Lions  came  in 
like  an  earthquake  at  the  other. 

The  Tigers,  finding  their  friends  gone  and  the 
village  deserted,  concluded^  in  their  despair,  to 
surrender.  Calling  a  halt,  they  gave  themselves 
up  to  their  pursuers,  doubting  not  that  they 
were  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  merciless 
Yankees,  of  whom  they  had  heard  so  much. 

When  they  came  to  look  their  captors  fairly 
in  the  face,  to  their  great  astonishment  they 
recognized  them  as  their  rebel  associates,  with 
whom  they  had  long  been  ^^hail,  fellows,  well 
met ! " 

The  report  turned  out,  in  the  end,  to  be  a 
false  alarm,  —  no  Federal  troops  having  at  all 
left  St.  Joseph  on  such  an  expedition. 


172 


THE  STARS  AOT)   BARS; 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


"TVhen  the  hurly-bnrly's  done, 
When  the  battle's  lost  and  won." 


HILE  the  rebels  of  Platte  City 
and  Platte  County  were  in  con- 
stant fear  and  expectation  of 
being  visited  by  Federal  troops, 
they  conducted  themselves  much 
better  than  they  had  done  pre- 
viously. They,  for  a  time, 
ceased  mobbing,  murdering,  and  persecuting 
Union  men.  But,  after  so  many  false  alarms 
about  the  coming  of  Federal  soldiers,  they 
began  to  think  they  wouldn't  come  at  all,  and 
directly   commenced    theu^   work    of    violence 


a2:am. 


Near  a  we^k  after  the  stampede,  described  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  several  hundred  armed 
traitors  were  in  Platte  City,  drilling  and  mus- 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  '    173 

tering.  Late  in  the  afternoon  a  runner  came 
in,  stating  that  a  thousand  Union  soldiers  were 
marching  upon  Platte  City,  and  were  already 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  place. 

"  The  rascal  wants  to  get  up  another  stam- 
pede," said  one  of  the  rebel  officers ;  "  these 
fellows  that  are  always  coming  in  from  the  coun- 
try to  alarm  us  are  abolitionists  and  deserve  to 
be  gibbeted." 

"  Hang  him !  hang  him  !  "  cried  the  rabble. 
And  the  excitement  finally  grew  so  high  against 
the  poor  fellow  that  they  actually  seized  him, 
put  a  rope  round  his  neck,  and  were  really  upon 
the  point  of  hanging  him,  when  the  Federal 
pickets  made  their  appearance.  In  less  than  ten 
minutes  the  vilkge  was  entirely  deserted,  ex- 
cept by  some  of  the  more  intelligent  slaves. 
Union  citizens,  for  fear  of  bemg  accused  of 
turning  informants,  left  also. 

The  Federals  took  possession  of  the  deserted 
village,  and  lodged  in  the  forsaken  habitations 
of  the  fugitives. 

The  disloyal  inhabitants  supposed  tliat  the 
object  of  the  expedition  was  Ho  malie  arrests, 

15* 


174  THE  STABS  AND   BAES  : 


and,  consequently,  made  sure  they  would  send 
out  soldiers  in  every  direction  to  hunt  them  up. 

The  ^yeather  being  warm,  and  a  full,  round 
moon  in  the  sky,  no  very  great  inconvenience 
could  be  anticipated  from  lying  out. 

A  large  number  of  the  fugitives  made  for  a 
wild,  hilly  region,  a  few  miles  north  of  Platte 
City.  In  the  midst  of  these  hills  and  ravines 
lived  a  very  kind  family  in  a  neat  little  cottage 
perched  on  an  eminence.  This  habitation  was 
made  the  first  rallying  point  for  the  portion  of 
villagers  who  took  their  flight  northward.  The 
little  domicile,  however,  was  insufficient  to  accom- 
modate one-tenth  of  the  fugitives  that  collected 
around  it. 

There  was  but  one  Union  man  among  them, 
and  he,  to  his  great  astonishment,  found  himself 
marvellously  popular  all  at  once,  after  having 
been  persecuted  for  months,  mobbed  at  sundry 
times,  and  robbed  of  half  his  property,  and  that, 
too,  by  the  same  men  who  were  now  hanging 
on  his  skirts  for  protection. 

The  proprietor  of  the  cottage  finally  proposed, 
as  Mr.  Kupert  w'ks  a  Union  man,  and  likely  to 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  175 

have  the  most  influence  with  the  Yankee  sol- 
diers, by  whom  they  were  momentarily  expect- 
ing to  be  pursued,  that  he  should  stay  at  the 
cottage  and  take  care  of  the  ladies,  while  the 
men  who  were  in  danger  of  being  arrested, 
should  go  and  hide  themselves. 

This  was  agreed  to ;  and  the  men,  all  except 
Rupert,  made  for  a  deep  ravine  not  far  from  the 
house.  About  half-way  down  the  steep  declivi- 
ty, on  the  hillside,  grew  a  dense  papaw  thicket ; 
in  this  dark  place  the  cowardly  rascals  ensconced 
themselves. 

By  and  by,  one  of  their  number,  a  young 
lawyer,  who  had  great  dread  of  the  Yankees, 
began  to  feel  some  misgiving  about  the  safety 
of  their  position  ;  and,  leaving  his  companions, 
he  ascended  the  declivity  to  a  point  where  a 
cornfield  came  to  the  brink,  and,  climbing  over 
the  fence,  crouched  in  a  corner  among  the  weeds, 
where  he  was  shaded  from  the  light  of  the 
moon  by  tall  green  corn  that  grew  near. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  the  proprietor 
of  the  cottage,  who  was  hid  in  the  papaw  thick- 
et with  the  rest,  concluded  to  reconnoitre  in  the 


176  THE  STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

direction  of  his  dwelling,  and  ascertain,  if  possi- 
ble, whether  the  Yankees  had  yet  captured  Ru- 
pert and  his  regiment  of  women. 

In  making  his  reconnoissance,  he  had  necessa- 
rily to  pass  this  fellow  in  the  fence-corner. 
White,  fleecy  clouds  were  gliding  like  a  proces- 
sion of  ghosts  along  the  blue  pavement  of  the 
skies,  ever  and  anon  obscuring  the  light  of 
the  moon.  Taking  advantage  of  these  flying 
shadows,  the  reconnoitrer  would  glide  along 
for  a  few  paces,  then  pausing  whenever  the 
queen  of  night  came  out  broad  and  bright. 
Under  the  feathery  clouds,  in  a  stooping  posture, 
and  with  stealthy  step,  he  moved  along,  holding 
his  breath,  and  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  the 
dreaded  Yankees. 

The  cowardly  lawyer,  in  the  fence-corner, 
hearing  a  rustle  in  the  leaves,  lifted  his  head  to 
look ;  and  lo  !  within  a  few  paces  of  him  was 
the  fio:ure  of  a  man,  whose  bent  attitude  and 
sly  movement  struck  our  knight  of  the  bar  as 
very  suspicious.  In  a  moment,  the  moon  came 
out  with  her  full,  broad  light,  at  which  the 
reconnoitrer    suddenly    paused    and    squatted. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.        '  177 

.This  movement  instantly  confirmed  the  terrible 
suspicions  of  the  lawyer,  that  a  bloody-minded 
Yankee  sought  his  life,  and  was  just  then  stoop- 
ing to  take  aim. 

With  a  yelp  and  a  bound,  the  fellow  left  his 
hiding-place,  and  through  the  corn  he  dashed 
like  a  frightened  buffalo,  making  the  stalks  and 
blades  crack  and  rattle  at  a  terrible  rate. 

The  party  in  the  papaw  thicket,  hearing  the 
crashing  in  the  cornfield,  pricked  up  their  ears 
in  amazement.  Some  conjectured  it  was  one 
thing  and  some  another  ;  but  the  most  current 
suspicion  seemed  to  be,  that  a  cavalry  charge 
was  being  made  across  the  cornfield. 

Meanwhile,  the  reconnoitrer,  who  had  been 
the  innocent  cause  of  this  new  panic,  stood 
dumfounded,  not  knowing  whether  he  had 
raised  a  ghost,  man,  or  demon. 

The  young  lawyer  ran,  first  in  one  direction, 
then  in  another ;  but  finally  made  back  for  his 
friends  in  the  papaw  thicket.  By  this  time  the 
reconnoitrer  had  begun  to  retreat  in  the  same 
direction  ;  but,  before  he  had  advanced  far  down 
the  declivity,  the  frightened  fellow  in  the  corn- 


178  THE  STAES   AM)   BAES  ; 

field,  coining  full  drive,  reached  the  fence  right 
oppo.'^ite  him,  and,  pausing  not,  in  his  terror,  to 
consider  ways  or  means,  made  a  lunge  !  Over 
the  fence  he  went  with  a  tear,  taking  several 
rails  along,  which  came  down  with  a  rattlety- 
bang  !  But  on  went  the  gallant  knight,  adown 
the  frightful  steep,  first  one  end  up,  then  the 
other,  and,  finally  overtaking  our  retreating  re- 
connoitrer,  uptripped  and  forced  him  to  join 
in  a  heels-over-head  tumble  to  the  neisrhborhood 
of  the  papaw  thicket,  —  the  party  there  con- 
cealed making  sure,  if  the  Devil  hadn't  broke 
loose,  that  at  least  a  half-regiment  of  Yankees 
had.  At  all  events,  they  deemed  it  inexpedient 
to  await  the  result,  or  stop  to  ask  any  imperti- 
nent questions,  but,  taking  to  their  heels,  crossed 
the  ravine  in  a  trice,  and  through  the  forest 
they  ran  like  a  gang  of  wild  horses. 

Rupert  and  the  women,  hearing  the  noise  and 
confusion,  had  sought  a  position  where  they  had 
a  fair  chance  of  witnessing  the  whole  perform- 
ance. An  Irish  girl  in  the  group  cried  out_,  "  St. 
Pater !  what  ligs  they've  goot ! " 

BeUeving  themselves  pursued,  they  continued 
their  stampede  several  miles. 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  179 

Scenes  no  less  farcical  were  transpiring  at  the 
same  time  in  a  valley  south  of  the  village, 
whither,  also,  many  of  the  citizens  had  fled. 
Most  of  the  valley  was  covered  thickly  with 
large  trees,  the  foliage  of  which  almost  entirely 
shut  out  the  light  of  the  moon.  Here  the 
frightened  rebels  hid  themselves,  some  in  one 
place,  and  some  in  another ;  and,  all  night  long, 
individuals  and  groups  were  passing  from  place 
to  place,  and  frequently  frightening  one  an- 
other, producing  panics  and  causing  stampedes, 
by  being  mistaken  for  Union  soldiers.  A  group 
nearest  the  village,  early  in  the  night,  took 
fright  at  a  herd  of  cattle  and  immediately  took 
to  their  heels,  running  in  the  direction  where 
most  of  the  fugitives  were  concealed ;  at  every 
jump  skulking  rebels  started  up,  who  mistook 
them  for  Yankees ;  and  these,  in  their  turn, 
while  running  for  dear  life,  would,  at  every 
bound,  start  up  others,  who,  in  their  turn,  would 
run  and  frighten  yet  others,  until  a  general 
stampede  ensued. 

The  most  laughable  scene,  during  the  night, 
took  place  between  Dr.  Muggins  and  Capt.  Cock- 


180  THE  STARS   AlsD   BARS  : 


robin.  Each  was  groping  through  the  dark  val- 
ley hunting  his  wife,  from  whom  he  had  been 
separated  in  the  last  stampede.  They  chanced 
to  meet ;  and  each,  taking  the  other  for  a 
Yankee,  bomided  off  to  get  behind  a  tree. 

"  There's  one  of  them,"  said  Muofo-ins  to  him- 
self,  "  peeping  from  behind  a  sturdy  oak." 

'-  Thunder  and  Mars ! "  exclaimed  Cockrobin, 
looking  cautiously  from  behind  a  black  walnut ; 
"that  infernal  Yankee's  bent  on  shooting  me, 
else  he  wouldn't  have  taken  a  tree." 

"  Plague  take  the  Federal ! "  added  Muggins, 
mentally ;  "  he's  trying  to  get  a  crack  at  me." 

And  there  they  stooped,  peeped,  and  dodged, 
each  expecting  from  the  other  a  bullet  every 
moment. 

"  I  guess  I'd  better  surrender,"  said  Cockrobin 
to  himself;  "I'd  better  be  taken  prisoner  than 
be  shot  here  in  the  dark  like  a  wolf" 

"  My  Lord ! "  exclaimed  Muggins  to  himself, 
"  it's  terrible  to  think  of  being  murdered  right 
here  in  the  wild  woods!  I'd  better  give  myself 
up  to  the  confounded  Yankee." 

"  Pray,  don't  shoot,  stranger,"  cried  Cock' 
robin ;  "  I'll  surrender." 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  181 

"Zouncls!  just  what  I  was  going  to  propose 
to  him,"  said  the  other  to  himself.  "  Then  lay 
down  your  arms,"  demanded  Muggins. 

"  I've  got  none,"  answered  Cockrobin. 

"  Neither  have  I,"  confessed  the  other.  ^'  Who 
are  you  ?  " 

"  They  call  me  Captain  Cockrobin." 

"  Ha,  ha !  is  that  you,  Cock  ?  My  name's 
Muggins." 

"  Good  gracious.  Dr.  Mug.  I  took  you  for  a 
tamal  Yankee.  Have  you  seen  anything  of  my 
wife?" 

"  No.     Have  you  seen  anything  of  mine  ?  " 

"  Not  a  thing ;  nor  wouldn't  know  her  from 
a  nigger  if  I  should,  in  such  a  dungeon  as 
this." 

Just  at  this  moment,  a  bevy  of  female  rebels, 
having  taken  fright  at  a  scared  calf,  came  run- 
ning toward  them  as  fast  as  crinoline  and  bal- 
moral  would  permit. 

"  Heaven  save  us ! "  cried  Cockrobin,  "  the 
cavalry's  coming  ! "  and,  wheeling  about,  they 
trusted  to  their  heels  to  carry  them  out  of 
harm's  way. 

16 


182  THE  STAES   AND   BAES  ; 

The  Union  troops  all  this  time,  instead  of  be- 
ing out  scouting,  were  reposing  on  downy  pil- 
lows in  the  village.  And  the  next  morning,  at 
an  early  hour,  they  were  on  the  march  for 
Lexmgton. 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR. 


183 


CHAPTER     XV. 


"  All  are  not  men  tliat  wear  the  human  form." 


*HE  commotions  of  the  country  oc- 
casioned among  secessionists  a  novel 
mixture  of  the  elements  of  society. 
Men  who  had  never  mingled  be- 
fore as  equals  suddenly  felt  re- 
markable affinities  and  wonderful 
sympathies.  The  swellhead  and 
the  groundling,  the  nabob  and  the  ragamuffin, 
to  their  mutual  astonishment,  all  at  once  found 
themselves  brethren  and  hail  fellows,  well  met  ! 
This  was  strikingly  exemplified  on  the  Fourth 
of  July,  at  one  of  the  saloons  in  Platte  City. 
Surrounding  a  circular  table,  laden  with  cups 
and  bottles,  sat,  cheek-by-jowl,  Scallawag  and 
Skedaddle,  Dr.  Puff  and  Patrick  the  scullion  ! 

"Byjabers,"  said  Pat, " ond  it's  mysilf  that  don't 
want  the  nagers  free — niver  a  bit!    Now,  Master 


184  THE  STARS  AXD  BARS; 

Skadaddle,  af  yer  nagers  roon  away,  jist  cooni 
for  Patrick,  the  Irishmon,  ond  it's  mysilf  thot'll 
kotcb  ein  for  ye,  chaip  as  onybody;"  saying 
which,  he  familiarly  slapped  Skedaddle  on  the 
back,  and  with  as  much  emphasis  as  if  he  was 
killing:  rats. 

"  Remarkable  ! "  exclaimed  the  nabob,  spring- 
ing up  and  down  on  his  seat  with  great  nervous 
agitation. 

"  What  can  detain  Knickerbocker  ?  "  said  Scal- 
lawag ;  "he  was  to  have  taken  a  bumper  with 
us  to-day,  and  so  was  Captain  Si  Gorden." 

^^No  matter;  let  us  drink ! "  responded  Dr.  Puff, 
at  the  same  time  taking  up  one  of  the  bottles, 
and  filling  Skedaddle's  goblet. 

"  Just  so! "  said  the  latter ;  "let  us  drink ! "  and, 
waiting  not  for  the  filling  of  the  other  cups, 
greedily  emptied  his  own. 

"  Oh,  ho !  in  good  time  ! "  exclaimed  Knicker- 
bocker, just  coming  in. 

"After  a  long  delay,"  said  Scallawag.  "  Come, 
sit  you  down,  my  fine  fellow,  and  try  the  flavor 
of  our  beverage." 

"  That  I  will,"  answered  Knickerbocker,  taking 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  185 

a  seat  in  the  tippling-circle.  "  What  have  you, 
my  chums  ?  anything  to  make  a  poor  devil  for- 
get his  sins  ?  " 

"A  sprinkle  of  the  sparkling  catawba  and  mel- 
low champagne.  I  dare  say,  a  good  heavy  po- 
tation will  give  you  an  easy  conscience  and  a 
limber  tongue,  if  not  weak  knees  and  a  limber 
neck." 

"  You  fill  to  the  brim/' 

"  Why  not  ?  —  'tis  our  heyday  ! " 

"  Then  let  us  be  jolly  while  we  may." 

"  Just  so  !  while  we  may ! "  said  Skedaddle, 
turning  off  his  second  glass. 

"  Eight ! "  remarked  Dr.  Puff;  "  for  a  man  can't 
live  always." 

''  Not  even  a  secessionist,"  added  Knicker- 
bocker. 

"  Men  of  our  political  creed  ought  never  to 
die,"  rejoined  Pliff. 

"  Indeed,  that's  so,"  said  Knickerbocker ;  "  for 
the  Lord  only  knows  where  they'll  go  ! " 

Scallawag,  who  had  taken  it  upon  himself  to 
be  the  master  of  ceremonies, —  though  innocent 
of  any  intention  to  pay  for  the  wine,  —  having 

16* 


186  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ) 

by  this  time  filled  the  cups  all  round,  said,  "Now 
we  lift  our  glasses  and  drink  good  health  to  all 
the  pretty  lasses." 

"And  grief  to  all  Union  lads  and  Black  Re- 
publicans," added  Dr.  Puff. 

"  So  mote  it  be  ! "  said  Scallawag. 

"  Just  so  !  mote  it  be ! "  echoed  Skedaddle, 
who,  by  this  time,  was  getting  pretty  well  elat- 
ed. And  now  jingling  their  glasses  together, 
one  against  another^  in  token  of  good  fellowship, 
they  all  drank  at  once,  and  with  as  much  pre- 
cision as  a  platoon  could  have  let  off  a  volley 
at  the  word  Fire  ! 

"  You're  a  lucky  dog,  Knickerbocker,"  ob- 
served Scallawag,  good-humoredly. 

"  So  it  would  seem  ;  else  old  Ringtail  would 
have  got  me  long  ago  for  keeping  bad  com- 
pany." 

"  By  jabers !  "  said  Pat,  half-aside ;  "  I  count 
thot  no  dacent  observation." 

"  The  old  man's  death  brought  you  a  precious 
windfall,  I  understand.  Heaven  send  I  might 
be  so  fortunate ;   but  certain  1  never  will." 

"  Poor  ievil !  have  you  no  father  to  die  ?  " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  187 

"  Not  one  whose  exit  to  kingdom-come  is 
likely  to  turn  out  for  me  a  windfall."  * 

"  Then  let  it  be  called  a  fall  of  wind." 

"Upon  my  sowl,"  soliloquized  Pat,  "  thase 
waked  heritics  jist  aboot  dith  as  af  the  fear  o' 
the  Divel  was  niver  before  their  eyes." 

"I  thought  your  famous  guerrilla  chief,  Si 
Gorden,  was  to  have  been  with  us  on  this  oc- 
casion," remarked  Knickerbocker. 

"  So  he  is,"  replied  Dr.  Puff;  "  at  least,  we 
expect  him." 

"  Then  I  may  yet  hope  to  make  his  acquaint- 
ance." 

"  Come,  let  us  prime  our  pans,  prick  our  flints, 
and  fire  again,"  said  Scallawag,  at  the  same 
time  fillino;  the  ojlasses. 

"Wine,  like  woman's  ruby  lips,  woos  to  kiss 
and  come  again,"  said  Knickerbocker,  as  they 
all  drank  ao-ain. 

"  Ah,  here  comes  the  chief  now ! "  exclaimed 
Dr.  Puff,  rising  to  his  feet  to  greet  the  distin- 
guished banditti  leader. 

"  Your  most  obedient  I "  said  the  chief, 
coming    for-ward    loaded     down    with    savage- 


188  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  J 

looking  weapons.  A  huge  sword,  awkwardly 
buckled  to  his  girdle,  hung  dangling  between 
his  legs,  and  occasionally  tripping  him  as  he 
walked.  His  feet  were  ornamented  with  an 
enormous  pair  of  shanghai  spurs,  to  which  were 
attached  chains  that  clanked  most  barbarously 
as  he  walked. 

After  receiving  an  introduction  to  Knicker- 
bocker, and  making  a  very  condescending  bow, 
the  chieftain  seated  himself;  and,  without  wait- 
ing for  ceremonies,  seized  the  nearest  bottle, 
filled  a  glass,  and  drank  it  down  in  a  trice. 

A  Scotchman  by  the  name  of  Crookshanks, 
who  had  been,  but  a  few  days  before,  robbed 
of  a  fine  horse  by  this  same  guerrilla  chief, 
chanced  to  see  the  scoundrel  enter  the  saloon, 
and,  eager  to  embrace  the  ^first  opportunity  of 
calling  him  to  an  account,  followed  him  in. 

By  the  time  the  chief  was  fairly  in  his  chair, 
Crookshanks  had  planted  himself  just  behind 
him,  with  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  a  short  Scotch 
broadsword. 

"  You  have  a  brave  band,  I  understand,  Cap- 
tain Gorden/'  remarked  Knickerbocker. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  189 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  replied  the  captain ; 
"  my  men  are  not  afraid  to  face  the  Devil !" 

"  You  intend  joining  General  Price's  army,  I 
imao-ine  ? " 

"  Not  I,  by  Jupiter !  No,  sir,  no  !  Mine  is 
an  independent  company  5  I've  sot  out  on  my 
own  bottom." 

"  Oh,  3^es ! "  thundered  the  Scotchman  at  his 
back ;  "  you've  set  out  on  your  own  bottom,  but 
on  my  horse." 

The  astonished  chief  sprang  to  his  feet ;  but 
in  an  instant  Crookshanks  had  him  by  the 
throat. 

"Villain!  robber!  cut-throat!  fiend!"  said 
the  enraged  Scotchman,  "  where's  my  horse  ?  " 

"  Spare  me  !  spare  me  !  "  cried  the  surprised 
and  terrified  wretch,  most  piteously. 

"  Remarkable  !  "  exclaimed  Skedaddle. 

"  Murther  !    murther  !  "  cried  Pat. 

"  You  infernal  marauder  !  thief !  assassin  !  " 
continued  the  Scotchman,  "  where's  my  horse  ? 
Where's  Yf idow  Bedott's  mules  ?  Where's  Miss 
Juniper's  gold  watch  and  diamond  breastpin  ? 
Toll  me,  you  robber." 


190  THE  STAES  AM)   BAES  ; 

"  Spai'e,  spare,  oh,  spare ! "  still  cried  the  guilty 
wretch,  gazing  wildly  at  the  gleaming  blade 
that  waved  in  fiery  circles  above  his  head. 

"  Call  for  the  police  ! "  bawled  Dr.  Puff! 

"Just  so, — for  the  police  ! "  echoed  Skedaddle. 

"  Bravo  !  it's  good  as  a  show ! "  said  Knicker- 
bocker, who  evidently  enjoyed  the  scene  im- 
measurably. 

"  My  horse  —  I  demand  my  horse  "  still  thun- 
dered Crookshanks. 

"I — I — I'll  give  him  up,  sir!  I — I — I'll  give 
him  up  ! "  stuttered  the  confused  and  frightened 
chief,  backing,  flieanwhile,  toward  the  door, 
and  struggling  to  break  from  the  strong  grasp 
of  his  assailant,  who  held  him  as  with  a  hon's 
paw. 

In  the  midst  of  the  confasion,  Patrick  slipped 
up  to  the  table,  and,  turning  his  back  on  the 
company,  emptied  one  of  the  bottles,  then, 
wiping  his  mouth,  cried,  "  Murther  !  murther  !  '* 

"  Satisfied  he  had  not  been  observed,  and  still 
feeling  thirsty,  as  an  Irishman  will,  he  went 
slyly  back  to  the  table  and  emptied  the  other 
bottle.  Then,  wiping  his  mouth,  as  before,  cried, 
—  "Murther!  murther!" 


OR;   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  191 

"  Just  SO,  —  murder ! "  echoed  Skedaddle. 

Persistently  Crookshanks  held  on  to  the  rob- 
ber's throat,  and  still  waved  the  threatening 
bJade  above  the  cowering  villain's  head. 

Dr.  Puff  kept  saying,  "  Call  for  the  police ! " 

While  Scallawag,  petrified  with  fear,  did  noth- 
ing but  wildly  stare. 

Skedaddle,  getting  a  little  over  his  first  ex- 
citement, happened  to  think  that  it  would  be  a 
good  time,  amid  the  noise  and  confusion,  to 
take  a  little  more  wine  ;  so  back  he  slyly  glided 
to  the  table,  and,  taking  up  a  bottle,  peeped 
round  to  make  sure  that  no  one  observed  him, 
then,  clapping  it  to  his  mouth,  turned  it  up,  up, 
up,  till  it  reached  the  perpendicular ;  forced  to 
believe  it  empty,  he  set  it  down,  saying, — "  Just 
so  !"  But,  fully  determined  not  to  be  altogether 
bafiled,  he  now  seized  the  other  bottle,  and,  put- 
ting it  to  his  mouth,  turned  it  up,  up,  up,  till  it 
also  reached  the  perpendicular ;  setting  it  down 
with  unmoistened  lips,  an  expression  of  wonder, 
and  a  look  of  melancholy  disappointment,  he 
said,  "  Remarkable  !  " 

By  this  time,  Crookshanks  and  the  guerrilla 


192  THE  STAES  AOT)   BARS; 

chief  were  in  the  street,  and  still  struggling. 
The  drawn  blade,  yet  bloodless,  glittered  in  the 
sunlight.  The  strong  hand  that  bore  it  aloft 
was  unaccustomed  to  deeds  of  violence ;  and  to 
this  alone  the  wretch,  who  deserved  a  thousand 
deaths,  now  owed  his  Hfe. 

Eebel  pohcemen  at  length  interfered,  and 
the  guerrilla  chief  was  protected. 

It  may  look  almost  too  much  to  be  beUeved, 
that  this  brigand  should  have  been  tolerated 
in  Platte  City,  and  allowed  to  go  at  liberty, 
when  it  was  known  to  everybody  that  he  was  a 
robber  and  murderer.  But  a  few  days  before 
the  occurrence  related  above,  he  was  guilty  of 
one  of  the  most  barbarous  deeds  in  the  cata- 
logue of  crimes.  Two  young  men  belonging  to 
a  Union  regiment,  then  at  St.  Joseph,  having 
wandered  out  unarmed,  on  Sabbath  day,  a  mile 
or  two  from  the  town,  were  captured  by  a 
scouting  party  of  rebels,  and  taken  to  Platte 
City.  This  guerrilla  chief.  Si  Gorden,  hearing 
of  the  arrival  of  the  prisoners,  came  dashing  in 
with  thirty  armed  men  at  his  back,  and  de- 
manded the  young  men.     The  writer  of  these 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  193 

pages,  being  present,  protested  against  the  pris- 
oners' being  put  into  the  hands  of  the  guerrillas ; 
but  what  could  one  man  do  in  opposing  thirty  ? 
And  what  is  argument,  what  reason  and  kind 
entreaty,  to  men  who  have  neither  hearts  to 
feel  nor  brains  to  think  ? 

The  prisoners  were  taken  just  a  little  way 
out  of  the  village,  tied  to  a  tree,  and  made  tar- 
gets of  by  these  white-skinned  savages.  One 
of  the  young  men,  a  youth  scarce  seventeen," 
upon  his  knees  asked  for  time  but  to  write  a 
line  to  his  widowed  mother.  He  was  answered 
with  curses,  and  low,  vulgar  jests,  more  wicked 
than  curses ;  and,  while  yet  making  the  request, 
was  mangled  with  bullets. 

Incredible  as  it  may  appear,  these  murderers, 
the  very  next  day,  were  given  a  sumptuous  din- 
ner by  certain  citizens  of  Platte  City, 

Note, — The  author  is  -wiUing  to  be  sworn  to  the  truth  of  the 
above  statement.     He  has  in  no  wise  colored  or  exaggerated  the 
facts.    Si  Gorden  has  since  been  shot 
17 


194 


THE  STAES   AXD   BARS  ; 


CHAPTER    XYI. 


"  See  stem  Oi>pression's  iron  grip, 
Or  mad  Ambition's  gory  liand, 
Sending,  like  blood-hounds  from  the  slip, 
Woe,  want,  and  murder  o'er  tlie  land  I " 


E  here  resume  the  storv  of  the 
erring  and  unhappy  Macqueen. 
The  assassination  he  witnessed, 
as  related  in  the  twelfth  chap- 
ter of  this  work,  quite  unbal- 
anced his  mind  for  a  time ;  his 
insanity,  however,  was,  fortu- 
nately, but  temporary.  On  the  same  night  of 
the  assassination,  after  the  shocking  occurrence, 
he  visited  the  Castle-room,  where  the  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle  were  in  session;  and,  being 
wild  with  excitement,  owing  to  the  bloody  scene 
he  had  just  gazed  upon,  he  furiously  denounced 
the  Order,  calling  them  conspirators,  murderers, 
demons,  and  everything  that  was  vile  and  exe- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  195 

crable.  This  bold  and  unlooked-for  attack  exas- 
perated no  less  than  it  astounded  the  secret 
conclave  of  heartless  assassins.  They  seized 
the  offender  at  once,  and,  putting  a  gag  in  his 
mouth,  cast  him  into  a  dungeon  connected  with 
the  same  building,  which  they  called  "The  Place 
of  Outer  Darkness,"  and  there  kept  him,  unable 
to  speak,  and  shut  out  from  every  ray  of  light, 
till  their  next  meeting,  which  was  the  following 
night. 

Knickerbocker,  having  obtained  the  password 
and  some  of  the  secret  signs  of  the  Order  from 
an  intoxicated  Knight,  whom  he  made  believe 
that,  durino;  a  recent  visit  to  a  neiQ:hborinoc 
town,  he  had  joined  the  fraternity,  was  able  to 
work  himself  into  the  Castle  at  Platte  City 
without  taking  any  oath  or  obligation.  He  was, 
therefore,  present  when  Macqueen  was  gagged 
and  cast  into  the  dungeon.  And,  although  he 
abhorred  the  barbarity  of  the  treatment,  dared 
not  oppose  the  measure,  for  fear  of  being 
doomed  himself  to  a  similar  fate.  Nor  did  he 
dare,  the  next  day,  to  lisp  the  affair  into  the 
public  ear,  knowing  as  he  did  that  there  were 


196  THE   STARS   AND   BARS; 

not  enough  of  honest,  law-abiding  men  in  the 
whole  county  either  to  protect  him  or  to  res- 
cue Macqueen  from  any  punishment  which  the 
fiendish  clan  might  be  disposed  to  inflict  upon 
him. 

Mrs.  Macqueen,  supposing  her  husband  w^as 
off  on  some  sudden  emergency  to  aid  the  wicked 
rebellion  and  plot  treason,  had  made  up  her 
mind  to  discard  him  forever. 

The  following  night,  the  members  of  the 
Order,  Knickerbocker  among  the  rest,  met  to 
determine  the  fate  of  the  offender. 

It  was  argued  on  the  occasion  that,  if  Mac- 
queen  was  set  at  liberty,  he  would  certainly  do 
great  injury  to  the  Order,  as  well  as  harm  to 
the  cause  of  secession ;  and  that  to  keep  him 
imprisoned  was  equally  unsafe.  This  view  of 
the  subject  seemed  to  commend  itself  to  the 
members  generally.  Knickerbocker,  however, 
ventured  to  lift  up  his  voice  against  it ;  but  his 
effort  to  turn  the  scale  and  urge  considerations 
of  clemency  was  utterly  unavailing ;  by  an 
overwhelming  vote,  the  unfortunate  man  was 
sentenced  to  die.     He  was  then  brought  out  of 


OR,   THE  REIGN   OF   TERROR.  197 

the  dungeon,  after  having  the  gag  removed 
from  his  mouth,  and,  in  the  presence  of  the 
whole  circle,  informed  that  he  had  but  ten  min- 
utes to  live,  and  that  he  could  choose,  if  ho 
wished,  the  manner  of  his  death. 

The  delirium  that  had  seized  his  brain  the 
previous  day  was  now  gone ;  and  he  seemed  in 
his  right  mind,  but  greatly  exhausted,  pale,  and 
dejected. 

"  Only  permit  me  to  see  my  wife  and  chil- 
dren," said  he,  "  and  I  will  ask  no  more." 

"  Your  request  we  cannot  grant,"  responded 
the  Chief  of  the  Castle ;  "  for  the  reason  that 
such  a  permission  would  be  unsafe  for  us,  and 
might  be  highly  prejudicial  to  the  cause  we 
seek  to  promote." 

"I  must  see  my  wife  and  children,"  insisted 
the  doomed  man ;  "  when  that  is  over,  I  shall 
have  lived  long  enough.  I  pledge  my  honor  to 
return.  Nor  will  I  tell  any  one  that  I  am  to 
die  by  a  decree  of  the  Castle." 

"  We  cannot  risk  you  out  of  our  hands,"  re- 
joined the  Chief 

"  He  is  a  man  of  honor/'  said  Knickerbocker ; 

17* 


198  THE   STARS    AND    BARS  ; 

"  I  am  not  afraid  to  trust  him,  and  will  freely 
pledge  my  own  life  for  his  return.  Allow  him 
one  hour  to  go  and  take  leave  of  his  wife  and 
children ;  if  he  does  not  return,  I  will  die  in  his 
stead.  But  I  know  he  will  redeem  his  promise, 
especially  when  to  dcr  otheFwise  would  forfeit 
the  life  of  a  friend  who  takes  such  a  risk  in  hh 
behalf" 

"  Sooner  would  I  die  a  thousand  deaths  than 
betray  such  a  friend,"  said  Macqueen  ;  "  I  ask 
but  one  hour ;  let  me  go  and  embrace  for  the 
last  time  those  who  are  far  dearer  to  me  than 
life,  and  invoke  Heaven's  blessing  upon  them. 
Confide  in  me,  my  friend ;  you  shall  not  die  in 
my  stead." 

'■  I  do  not  fear  it,"  replied  Knickerbocker ;  "  I 
beg  that  his  request  be  granted.  Humanity  can- 
not do  less." 

The  proposition  was  finally  agreed  to  ;  Knick- 
erbocker was  placed  under  guard,  and  Macqueen 
given  liberty  to  visit  his  family. 

The  hour  was  late  ;  Mrs.  Macqueen,  after  -putr 
ting  her  little  children  to  sleep,  had  thrown  her- 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  199 

self  upon  her  couch,  weary  and  wretched,  to 
WOO,  if  possible,  "  Nature's  sweet  restorer,  balmy 
vsleep."  After  a  short  and  painful  slumber,  she 
started  suddenly  from  her  pillow,  and  began 
uneasily  to  walk  the  chamber-floor,  saying,  — 

"  From  terrible  dreams  I  wake  to  more  terrible 
and  distracting  tJiougJds.  Every  joy  is  withered  ; 
every  prospect  folded.  All  that's  fair  and  bright 
upon  the  earth  doth  lose  its  beauty  and  sweet- 
ness." Now  suddenly  pausing,  and  ceasing  a 
moment  to  breathe,  she  listened,  —  "  Hark !  'tis 
his  footstep ;  can  it  be  he  ?  I  shall  lose  my 
breath ;  I  must  not  speak  to  him.  A  traitor  to 
his  countrv,  and  the  associate  of  black-hearted 
conspirators,  I  must  learn  to  despise  him." 

With  a  look  of  unutterable  anguish  Macqueen 
entered  the  chamber.  His  wife  turned  scorn- 
fully from  him. 

"  Florence"  —  said  he,  in  a  most  touching 
and  deeply-melancholy  tone ;  his  voice  faltered, 
and  he  could  proceed  no  further. 

"  Leave  me ! "  said  she,  with  a  choked  utter- 
ance and  difficult  breath, — "leave  me,  that  I 
may  utter  no  reproaches,  —  leave  me,  that  you 


200  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  J 

may  be  left  alone  to  the  judgments  of  Heaveu 
and  the  accusations  of  your  own  conscience." 

"  I  will,  I  will ! "  replied  he,  with  heart-break- 
ing emotion. 

"  Then  go  at  once  that  my  blood  may  not 
congeal  in  my  veins." 

"  Ah,  I  perceive  that  my  presence  is  a  pesti- 
lence to  you." 

"  An  incubus,  rather,  producing  that  strange 
sensation  we  call  the  nio;htmare." 

''  It  was  not  always  so,  Florence." 

"  Pray  let  me  forget  that  it  ever  was  other- 
wise." 

"  Would  to  Heaven  we  could  each  grow  ob- 
livious of  happier  days,  or  else  blot  from  recol- 
lection that  which  has  marred  their  joys  and 
dimmed  their  brightness  forever.  I  am  about 
to  leave  you,  Florence,  and  forever.  I  have 
come  to  take  a  final  leave  of  vou  and  our  dear 
children." 

"What  mean  you?" 

"  Question  me  not ;  my  time  is  short." 

"  You  are  mad,  and  surely  know  not  what 
you  say." 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  201 

"  Too  well  I  know  my  flite,  which  is  a  sad 
one.  I  deserve  to  die  ;  yet  fain  would  I  live  to 
win  back  the  lost  love  you  once  cherished  for 
me,  and  to  prove  to  you  that,  amid  scenes  of 
trial  and  misfortune,  I  have  grown  wiser  and 
better." 

"  My  husband,  why  do  you  look  and  talk  so 
strange  ? " 

"  Let  me  see  my  dear  children.  This  night  I 
am  to  die  ;  ask  me  not  by  whose  hands.  My 
honor  is  pledged  ;  I  must  speedily  return." 

"  You  shall  not  go,  my  husband !  you  shall 
not  go !  "  cried  the  frantic  wife,  seizing  hold  of 
him. 

"I  pray  you,  detain  me  not;  a  friend  has 
pledged  his  life  for  my  return ;  should  I  fail,  he 
must  die  in  my  stead.  I  know  you  would  not 
have  me  prove  so  treacherous." 

"  0  Heaven !  what  can  this  mean  ? "  cried 
the  frantic  woman,  so  bewildered  in  mind  she 
scarcely  knew  whether  it  was  a  dream  or  a 
reality. 

^'  Heaven  give  you  fortitude,  Florence.  And 
now  I  crave  that  you  may  forget  my  follies  and 


202  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  J 

forgive  my  errors.  And,  above  all,  I  pray  j'ou, 
teach  our  children  to  fear  God,  love  their  coun- 
try, and  practise  virtue.  Now  let  me  see  and 
embrace  my  sleeping  babes." 

"Merciful  Heaven!  I  cannot  endure  this," 
exclaimed  the  distracted  woman,  wringing  her 
hands  in  heart-broken  anguish. 

At  this  juncture,  Knickerbocker  abruptly  en- 
tered the  apartment 

'-  My  God ! "  exclaimed  Macqueen,  in  over- 
whelming surprise  ;  "  what  means  this,  Knicker- 
bocker ?     How  does  it  happen  you  are  here  ?  " 

'•  As  Heaven  w^ould  have  it,  a  detachment  of 
Federal  cavalry  just  now  came  dashing  into 
town.  Our  infernal  conclave  being  seized  with 
a  panic,  every  man  was  left  to  take  care  of  him- 
self, and  I  among  the  rest.  God  be  praised  ! 
we  shall  both  live  to  see  these  accursed  traitors 
huncr." 

The  effect  of  the  tidings  upon  Mrs.  Macqueen 
can  be  better  imasriued  than  described. 

o 

The  Federal  soldiers,  that  night  and  during 
the  next  day,  made  thirty-nine  arrests,  a  major- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  203 

ity  of  whom  were  Knights  of  the  Golden  Chxle. 
The  prisoners  were  taken  to  St.  Joseph,  per- 
suaded to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance^  and  then 
turned  loose,  murderers  and  all. 

As  soon  as  these  wretches  got  home,  they 
were  tenfold  worse,  if  possible,  than  before ; 
robbery,  house-burning,  and  murder  were  car- 
ried on  with  an  unsparing  hand. 

The  extreme  clemency  of  our  Federal  officers 
was  a  great  mistake.  The  reckless  rebels  con- 
strued it  into  cowardice;  and,  invariably,  the 
more  kindly  they  were  treated,  the  more  un- 
grateful, daring,  and  treacherous  they  became. 

Macqaeen  and  family,  Knickerbocker,  Parson 
Southdown  and  lady,  with  several  other  Union 
families,  left  Platte  City  in  company  with  the 
Federal  soldiers,  and  went,  some  into  Iowa, 
some  to  Illinois,  and  others  to  Indiana. 

No  sooner  had  the  released  rebel  prisoners 
got  home  from  St.  Joseph  than  tliey  burnt  the 
houses  of  Macqueen,  Southdown,  and  other 
loyal  citizens  who  had  left  the  country  to  save 
their  lives. 


20i 


THE  STABS  AND    BARS; 


CHAPTER    XYII. 


"  Our  eagle  shall  rise  'mid  the  whirlwinds  of  war, 
And  spread  his  wide  wings  o'er  the  tempest  afar.** 

'HE  reader  will  hardly  need  to  be 
reminded  where  we  left  our  youth- 
ful hero,  Adrian  Malvin.  Though 
on  freedom's  soil,  and  out  of  the 
reach  of  his  enemies,  who  thirsted 
for  his  blood,  he  was  not  long  con- 
tent to  remain  an  idle  spectator 
of  events  at  such  an  eventful  period.  Begin- 
ning to  comprehend  more  fully  the  nature  of 
the  strife,  and  to  see  that  it  was  a  deadly  strug- 
gle between  civilization  and  barbarism,  freedom 
and  slavery,  republicanism  and  aristocracy,  loy- 
alty and  treason,  his  anxiety  to  take  part  in  the 
conflict  became  intense.  And  scarcely  less  pa- 
triotic than  liimself  was  Simon,  the  fugitive 
slave  whom  he  had  assisted  to  rescue  his  wife 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  205 

and  children  from  bondage.  Especially  was 
Simon  fired  with  an  ambition  to  have  a  hand 
in  strikinfi:  a  tellino;  blow  for  freedom  in  behalf 
of  his  own  down-trodden  race.  He  had  fre- 
quent interviews  with  Malvin  on  the  subject, 
who  deeply  sympathized  with  him  in  his  noble 
and  philanthropic  aspirations.  All  the  while 
they  were  but  biding  'their  time ;  each  kept 
steadily  before  his  mind  the  great  purpose,  and 
anxiously  awaited  an  opportunity  to  play  their 
part  in  the  fearful  tragedy. 

Simon  had  two  brothers  and  a  sister  still  in 
slavery ;  and  now,  having  tasted  the  sweets  of 
freedom  himself,  and  learned  to  appreciate  the 
boon,  he  began  to  meditate  the  daring  project 
of  rescuing  them  also  from  the  hell  of  slavery. 

He  laid  his  scheme  before  Malvin,  who,  after 
due  deliberation,  approved,  and  agreed  to  aid 
him  in  it.  They  immediately  went  to  work, 
and  made  up  a  company  of  seventy-nine  col- 
ored men,  most  of  whom  had  been  slaves. 

About  this  tiuie,  Gen.  James  Lane,  with  a 
considerable  force  of  Kansas  men,  was  prepar- 
ing to  make  a  dash  into  southwestern  Missouri, 


206  THE   STARS  AND   BARS  J 

to  avenge  outrages  upon  Union  citizens  there, 
who  had  suffered  more  than  tongue  can  tell, 
and  to  chastise  certain  guerrilla  bands,  whose 
barbarity  had  been  incredible  and  revolting. 

Malvin,  who  was  the  chosen  leader  of  the 
seventy-nine  colored  men,  deemed  it  expedient 
to  move  at  the  same  time  Gen.  Lane  did,  and  to 
keep  in  reach  of  his  army  so  long  as  he  went  in 
the  riixht  direction.  There  was  wisdom  in  this 
]oolicy ;  for  Lane's  name  was  a  terror  to  all  the 
rebels  of  Missouri ;  everywhere  he  went  they 
fled  before  him.  To  follow  in  his  wake,  there- 
fore, was  to  secure  protection  against  over- 
whelming numbers. 

Lane's  march  was  rapid.  Malvin  kept  within 
a  few  miles  of  him  till  they  got  as  far  into 
southwestern  Missouri  as  Lane  chose  to  pene- 
trate, which  was  within  a  day's  , march  of  the 
Arkansas  line. 

Malvin's  expedition  may  look  rather  rash,  if 
not  altogether  reckless ;  but  we  must  bear  in 
mind  that  he  had  good  reason  to  suppose  the 
fighting  rebels  on  his  route  would  be  chiefly 
occupied    in   rallying   at   some  given  point   to 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  207 

meet  Lane,  and,  consequently,  that  no  very 
strong  force  could  be  collected  to  oppose  him 
in  his  rapid  march  through  the  country.  After 
getting  fairl}^  out  from  under  Lane's  protect- 
iuL^  winof,  he  sent  Simon  a  mile  or  more  in 
advance  of  the  main  body  of  his  little  army, 
with  the  instruction,  whenever  he  came  in  sight 
of  anybody,  to  dash  forward  as  if  flying  for  his 
life,  and  at  the  top  of  his  voice  shout,  "Jim 
Lane !  Jim  Lane  ! " 

This  worked  like  a  charm ;  the  name  of  Jim 
Lane  was  more  terrifying  than  "  an  army  with 
banners."  The  inhabitants  of  the  country  ev- 
erywhere fled  in  dismay.  Malvin's  seventy-nine 
men,  in  the  eyes  of  frightened  and  guilty  rebels, 
looked  at  least  a  force  ten  thousand  strong, 
especially  while  the  name  of  Jim  Lane  was  ring- 
ing in  their  ears. 

Near  the  Arkansas  line,  at  an  abrupt  turn  of 
the  road,  and  descending  a  deep  declivity  into  a 
narrow  valley,  Simon  came  suddenly  upon  a 
camp  of  Texan  rangers,  accompanied  by  sev- 
eral hundred  Lidians.  At  once  he  raised  his 
voice    to    its   highest    pitch,  and    cried,    "Jim 


208  THE  STARS   AUD   BARS; 

Lane !  Jim  Lane !  Ten  thousand  men !  teu 
thousand  men!  Eight  upon  you!  right  upon 
you ! " 

He  halted,  pointing  with  outstretched  arm 
and  ominous  look  in  the  direction  he  had  come. 
A  deathlike  stillness  for  a  moment  reigned 
throughout  the  encampment ;  and,  while  the 
astonished  warriors  yet  held  their  breath,  lo  1 
the  heavy  tread  of  many  horses'  feet  was  heard 
over  the  hills  and  jutting  cliff. 

"  Hark  1  they  come  !  they  come  1 "  cried  Si- 
mon.  "  Fly  !  fly  for  your  lives,  my  countrymen ! " 

That  was  sufficient ;  the  panic  was  complete ; 
and  the  stampede  was  like  the  sudden  rush  of 
noisy  waters  when  a  milldam  breaks,  or  a 
swollen  river  overleaps  its  banks.  Down  the 
valley  they  went,  red  savages  and  white  sava- 
ges, leaving  everything  behind, — guns,  ammuni- 
tion, horses,  provisions,  and  all  their  equipage. 

Malvin  and  his  men,  hearing  the  racket,  rode 
hastily  to  the  bluff,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of 
witnessing  the  stampede. 

Taking  possession  of  the  horses  which  the 
enemy  had  left  behind,  and  whatever  else  they 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  209 

could  make  serviceable  and  were  able  to  carry 
with  them,  they  hastened  on,  still  using  the 
formidable  name  of  Jim  Lane  wherever  it 
was  deemed  necessary.  And  thus  they  were 
able  to  proceed,  without  fighting  a  battle  and 
without  opposition,  to  Scallawagville,  which  they 
reached  in  the  night-time,  just  before  day, — 
and  captured  without  firing  a  gun. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  place,  and  before  reach- 
ing the  town,  they  came  upon  a  guerrilla  camp, 
and  surprised  and  captured  the  whole  band. 
Among  them  was  Tom  Bolton,  the  former  mas- 
ter of  Simon's  wife.  This  was  particularly  grat- 
ifying to  Simon,  who  knew  the  villain  well,  and 
had  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  inhumanity  to 
slaves. 

Malvin  also  knew  most  of  the  guerrillas,  as 
many  of  them  were  in  th«  mob  that  so  mal- 
treated him  and  Parson  Elmore. 

Seven  of  the  band  were  accused  hy  some 
respectable  citizens  in  the  community  of  mur- 
deiing  Union  men  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
also  of  having  killed,  in  the  most  cruel  manner, 
several  free  negroes,  without  any  provocation. 

18* 


210  THE  STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

After  a  fair  trial,  the  seven  were  convicted, 
upon  undoubted  testimony,  not  onl}^  of  wilful 
murder,  but  of  torturing  some  of  their  victims 
in  the  most  savage  and  brutal  manner.  Within 
a  few  hours  after  their  conviction  and  sentence, 
they  were  hung.  Among  the  number  was  Tom 
Bolton. 

The  men  who  gave  testimony  against  the 
assassins  well  knew  that  their  own  lives  were 
insecure  if  they  remained  in  the  country  after 
the  departure  of  Malvin  and  his  soldiers;  so 
they  made  up  their  minds  at  once  to  go  with 
them  to  Kansas. 

Upon  taking  possession  of  the  place,  Mal- 
vin, of  course,  proclaimed  martial  law,  and 
threw  out  pickets  in  every  direction,  both  to 
guard  against  being  surprised,  and  to  prevent 
the  inhabitants  of  the  village  from  leaving. 

The  first  day  was  mainly  consumed  trying 
and  executiniir  the  g-uerrillas.  In  the  morniniJ:  of 
the  following  day,  Malvin  learned  that  a  con- 
siderable rebel  force  was  being  collected  a  short 
distance  from  the  village  for  the  purpose  of  at- 
tacking him;  and,  fearing  his  retreat  would  be 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  211 

cut  off,  he  began  to  make  hasty  preparations  for 
a  departure.  He  had  ah^eady  prochiimed  to  the 
slaves,  in  the  town  and  vicinity,  that  all  who 
wished  for  freedom  might  find  protection  under 
the  stars  and  stripes  if  they  would  consent  to 
go  with  him  to  Kansas.  This  proclamation  at 
once  added  upwards  of  fifty  able-bodied  men 
to  his  force  ;  and,  being  abundantly  supphed 
with  horses,  arms,  and  ammunition,  which  they 
had  taken  from  the  Texan  rangers  and  Indians, 
he  was  prepared,  not  only  to  equip  and  mount 
these  recruits,  but  also  to  furnish  horses,  wagons, 
and  provision,  for  near  a  hundred  slave  women 
and  children,  who  were  also  begging  to  be  taken 
to  the  land  of  freedom. 

Simon  was  now  thrown  into  great  perplexity 
about  his  sister,  wdio  was  three  miles  out  of  the 
village,  and  in  the  vicinity  where  the  rebels 
were  concentrating.  He  had  found  and  armed 
his  two  brothers ;  but  his  anxiety  to  rescue  his 
sister  from  the  miseries  and  degradation  of 
slavery  was  intense ;  and  the  only  and  last  op- 
portunity was  now  passing.  The  time  set  to 
leave  the  place  was  within  one  hour  of  expiring. 


212  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

He  had  learned  where  his  sister  was,  but  the 
chances  seemed  ten  to  one  against  him  in  any 
attempt  to  get  her  away;  yet  he  could  not 
make  up  his  mind  to  leave  without  making  the 
trial,  though  it  was  certain  it  would  be  at  the 
peril  of  his  life.  Mounting  his  horse,  he  dashed 
away  at  fall  speed ;  a  few  minutes  brought  him 
in  sio^ht  •  of  her  master's  residence.  He  dis- 
covered  several  armed  men  standing  at  the  gate- 
way, and  felt  sure  that  one  of  two  things  would 
certainly  happen,  —  that  he  would  either  fright- 
en those  men  into  a  precipitate  flight,  or  else  be- 
come their  prisoner  if  not  a  dead  man  at  their 
feet.  Putting  spurs  to  his  horse,  he  dashed  on  at 
full  speed,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  in  hearing,  rose 
in  his  stirrups,  and  at  the  top  of  his  voice 
cried,  "  They're  coming !  they're  coming  !  " 

"  Heavens  and  earth  !  we're  goners ! "  ex- 
claimed Remington,  the  master  of  the  slave-girl 
that  Simon  was  after ;  "  nothing  but  our  legs 
can  save  us."  And  off  he  went  as  if  old  Split- 
foot  had  been  at  his  heels ;  and  after  him  fol- 
lowed the  rest,  on  the  double-quick. 

As  Simon  drew  near,  Rachel,  his  sister,  recog- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  213 

nizecl  and  ran  out  to  meet  him.     He  dismount- 
ed and  clasped  her  in  his  arms. 

"  Now  is  3^our  time,  sister,"  said  he,  '^  to  go  to 
the  land  of  freedom." 

"  Praise  the  good  Lord  !  "  exclaimed  Rachel, 
with  difficult  utterance,  so  overcome  was  she 
with  emotion.  "  Let  us  hurry,  then,"  added  she  ; 
"  they'll  be  after  us." 

"  Whose  horse  and  buggy  is  this  ? "  inquired 
Simon,  at  the  same  time  seizing  the  rein  of  an 
elegant  gelding  that  stood  ready  harnessed  to  a 
fine,  new  vehicle. 

"  It  is  master's,"  replied  Rachel. 

"  Jump  in,  quick ! "  said  Simon.  And  in  a 
trice  the  two  were  in  the  carriage  and  goino- 
like  the  wind ! 

Remington  and  his  companions,  having  paused 
to  look  back  when  they  reached  the  hemp-field 
fence,  saw  Simon  embrace  Rachel.  This  awak- 
ened their  suspicions  that  the  alarm-cry  was 
but  a  ruse  ;  and  when  they  looked  and  listened 
in  vain  for  the  enemy,  this  suspicion  was  greatly 
strengthened.  By  the  time  Simon  and  his  sister 
were  fairly  seated  in  the  buggy,  Remington  and 


214  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

his  armed  companions  were  making  the  best 
time  they  could  toward  the  contrabands,  swear- 
ing hke  pirates,  and  with  loud  yells  commanding 
them  to  stop. 

'-  Hold  on  there  !  —  hold  on  there  ! "  shrieked 
Remington,  as  if  catching  his  last  breath;  at 
the  same  time  making  his  long  legs  go  like 
winding  blades,  or  rather  like  the  ungainly 
wing-s  of  a  windmill  in  a  stiff  breeze. 

"  Halt !  or  be  shot ! "  cried  a  savaofe-lookins: 
rascal,  pointing  his  gun  at  the  fugitives.  They 
mio'ht  as  well  have  talked  to  the  winds  or  raved 
at  the  clouds.  On  went  the  sable  hero  and 
heroine,  for  they  were  in  high  glee,  drove  an  ex- 
cellent horse,  and  rode  in  a  splendid  carriage. 

Remington's  eyes  being  riveted  upon  his  fast- 
receding  horse,  buggy,  and  slave,  he  left  his  fly- 
ino;  feet  and  windino*  le2;s  to  take  care  of  them- 

CD  O  O 

selves;  but,  having  no  organs  of  vision,  they 
came  very  abruptly  in  collision  with  an  awk- 
ward stamp,  that  evidently  had  very  little  re- 
spect for  Southern  chivalry,  and  certainly  no 
heart  to  feel  for  a  distressed  man  who  had  just 
lost  a  slave.     This  collision  which  happened  to 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  215 

the  lower  extremities,  suddenly  brought'  about 
a  collision  of  the  upper  extremity  with  old 
mother  earth.  It  was  funny  to  see  the  fellow  on 
his  head,  while  his  legs,  up  in  the  air,  seemed  to 
imagine  they  were  still  running,  and  kept  on  in 
vi2:orous  motion. 

"  Shoot !  shoot !  "  he  shouted  to  his  compan- 
ions, before  he  had  fairly  recovered  his  feet. 
Immediately,  several  guns  were  fired  at  the  fugi- 
tives, who,  by  that  time,  were  quite  out  of 
harm's  way.  The  discharge  of  the  guns  only 
served  to  frighten  Simon's  saddle-horse,  which 
he  had  left  standing  in  the  road.  The  animal, 
seemins;  to  take  the  hint  that  he  was  amono; 
enemies,  now  scampered  away  after  his  master, 
and  followed  him  into  town.  Simon  and  Rachel 
just  got  in  in  good  time  to  march  out  with  the 
company.  As  they  came  up,  full  drive,  in  front 
of  the  ranks  of  mounted  men,  the  soldiers  doffed 
their  caps,  and,  swinging  them  round  and  round, 
sent  up  a  shout  that  made  the  welkin  ring. 

Having  taken  possession  of  all  the  arms  and 
ammunition  thev  could  find  in  town,  Malvin 
felt  confident  that  the  rebels  of  the  place  could 


216  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

not  equip  themselves  in  time  to  foUow  and  give 
him  battle  ;  yet  he  entertained  some  apprehen- 
sions from  another  quarter. 

Their  march  was  rapid,  and  continued  till 
after  midnight.  Coming  to  a  good  watering- 
place,  they  halted,  took  refreshment,  rested  till 
morning  light,  and,  by  the  time  the  orb  of  day 
flung  his  mantling  splendors  o'er  the  dewy  hills, 
the  cavalcade  was  in  motion. 

About  noon  that  day,  Malvin  learned  that  he 
was  pursued  by  a  rebel  force  of  three  or  four 
hundred  mounted  men.  This  news  quickened 
their  steps.  Malvin,  knowing  that  his  new  re- 
cruits were  entirely  undisciplined  and  knew  al- 
most nothing  about  the  use  of  fire-arms,  deter- 
mined to  avoid  a  battle  if  possible. 

By  the  time  he  reached  Missouri,  he  found 
that  the  enemy  was  close  upon  his  heels. 
Placing:  the  women  and  children  in  front  and 
his  best  disciplined  men  in  the  rear,  he  ordered 
a  rapid  movement.  Knowing  that  General  Lane 
was  still  in  southwestern  Missouri,  and  inferring 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  were  in  a 
state  of  great  confusion,  he  had  but  little  fear 


OR,   THE  REIGN   OF  TERROR,  217 

of  being  attacked  in  front ;  all  his  attention, 
therefore,  was  directed  to  the  enemy  that  hung 
upon  his  rear. 

At  length,  discovering  that  the  foe  was  fast 
gaining  upon  him,  he  began  to  look  out  for  a 
suitable  spot  to  make  a  stand  and  give  battle 
to  his  pursuers.  Pretty  soon,  they  approached 
a  hill,  or  rather  a  succession  of  hills,  rising  one 
above  another, — ^something  like  terraced  grounds, 
or  embankments,  ascending  in  regular  grada- 
tions ;  after  reaching  the  summit,  Malvin  ordered 
a  halt,  selected  a  few  men  to  accompany  the 
women  and  children,  who  were  to  continue  their 
march  as  long  as  they  were  able  to  hold  out  be- 
fore encamping,  and  then  commanded  his  sol- 
diers to  form  a  line  of  battle. 

By  this  time,  the  enemy  was  in  full  view  in 
the  valley  below,  and  presented  a  formidable 
Appearance  compared  to  Malvin's  little  army. 

Near  the  chosen  battle-ground,  a  round-topped 
mound  reared  its  lofty  head,  overlooking  all  the 
region  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy.  Malvin 
ordered  the  fairestrcomplexioned  of  his  men 
to  form  a    procession   and   march  round  and 

19 


218  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

round  tliat  mound,  that  the  enemy  might  be 
led  to  think  they  were  being  reinforced.  In 
order  that  the  deception  might  be  more  certain 
and  complete,  they  hastily  prepared  a  variety 
of  banners,  that  every  time  they  came  round  in 
sight  of  the  enemy  they  might  display  a  differ- 
ent-shaped or  different-sized  flag. 

The  procession  soon  commenced,  and,  as  they 
came  round  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  the  black 
new-roes,  who  remained  in  line  of  battle,  raised 
a  tremendous  shout,  as  they  were  directed  to 
do,  to  give  the  impression  that  they  were  ex- 
ulting over  the  arrival  of  reinforcements. 
Round  and  round  the  ^procession  went,  first  car- 
rying one  banner  and  then  another ;  and  some- 
times on  horseback,  appearing  to  be  cavalry,  and 
sometimes  on  foot,  representing  infantry. 

While  this  was  going  on,  a  battery  was  erected 
on  top  of  the  mound,  and  mounted  with  black 
logs  resembling  cannon. 

No  sooner  had  these  counterfeit  cannon  made 
their  appearance  than  the  rebels  in  the  valley 
beQ:an  to  turn  their  faces  toward  Arkansas.  In 
a  very  short  space  of  time  they  entirely  disap- 


OR;   THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR.  219 

peared.  No  doubt  their  imaginations  smelt 
General  Jim  Lane  in  the  wind. 

Well  pleased  with  the  success  of  this  strata- 
gem, Malvin  again  moved  on.  At  two  other 
points  only,  in  his  progress  through  the  country 
to  Kansas,  was  he  threatened  with  an  attack, 
and  at  each  of  these,  the  enemy  w^as  put  to 
flight  by  Simon's  trick  of  riding  ahead  in  a  gal- 
lop, and  crying,  "  Jim  Lane  !  Jim  Lane." 

Upon  reaching  the  free  soil  of  Kansas,  these 
sable  men  and  women,  and  brave  adventurers, 
raised  such  a  shout  as  never  before  was  heard  in 
the  wilds  of  the  West.  Parson  Elmore,  who  had 
been  on  a  recruiting  expedition  in  Iowa,  had 
just  returned,  and  was  the  first  to  greet  and  con- 
gratulate the  brave  men  who  had  imperilled  their 
lives  for  the  good  of  their  country  and  the  free- 
dom of  the  oppressed. 


^.'^.O 


THE   STARS   AND    BARS  J 


CHAPTER    XYIII. 


"And  the  brute  crowd,  whose  envious  zeal 
Huzzas  each  turn  of  Fortune's  wheel, 
And  loudest  shouts  when  lowest  lie 
Exalted  worth  and  station  high.'' 


ARSON  Southdown,  having  fled 
from  IMissouri  to  southern  Illinois, 
found  directly  that  he  had  but  got 
out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire. 
In  the  vicinity  where  he  tempo- 
rarily stopped,  the  torieswere  mak- 
ing up  a  regiment  to  help  the 
rebels.  And  their  abuse  and  persecution  of 
loyal  men  who  enlisted  under  the  stars  and 
stripes,  so  far  as  vile  tongues  could  go,  exceeded 
anj'thing  the  parson  had  met  with  among  the 
Border-ruffians  of  Missouri.  To  be  sure,  the 
tories  of  Illinois  did  not  murder  Union  men,  as 
did  the  Missouri  rebels,  but,  manifestly,  it  was 
only  for  the  want  of  courage  that  they  did  not. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  221 

They  openly  justified  the  assassinations,  rob- 
beries, and  house-burnings,  committed  by  the 
marauders  and  guerrilla  bands  of  Missouri. 

Parson  Southdown,  for  proposing  to  address 
the  people  on  the  state  of  the  country,  and  to 
give  a  narrative  of  what  he  had  seen  and  ex- 
perienced among  the  rebels,  was  threatened  with 
tar  and  feathers.  Yet  these  same  tories  made 
a  loud  profession  of  being  peace  men^  and  in 
favor  of  free  speech. 

It  was  not  until  Mr.  Douglas  made  his  famous 
loyal  speech,  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  putting  an 
extinguisher  on  the  treasonable  project  of  send- 
ing regiments  from  Illinois  to  help  the  South 
fight  against  the  Union,  that  any  man  dared 
make  a  loyal  speech  in  that  region  of  country. 

Mr.  Douglas's  utterances  had  long  been  law 
and  gospel  throughout  southern  Illinois;  and, 
as  soon  as  it  was  known  that  he  was  for  putting 
down  the  rebellion,  the  party-leaders  under  him 
said  to  the  mustering  tories,  "  Disband ! "  and 
they  disbanded.  They  said  to  the  loud-mouthed, 
brainless  rabble,  "  Hold  your  tongues ! "  and 
they  suddenly  became  dumb  dogs. 

19* 


222  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

Not  that  their  principles  were  changed  in  the 
least ;  but  they  had  been  accustomed  to  follow 
their  leaders,  and  fear  no  danger. 

Parson  Southdown  at  length  ventured  to  pub- 
lish that  he  would  lecture,  in  the  village  where 
he  was  stopping,  on  the  subject  of  the  rebellion. 
The  disloyal  citizens  were  somewhat  divided  as 
to  the  propriet}^  of  allowing  him  to  speak  ;  after 
a  good  deal  of  contention,  however,  they  con- 
cluded to  let  him  address  the  people,  provided 
he  would  go  for  the*  Union  and  the  Constitution. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  that  traitors  and 
tories  who  think  it  expedient  to  disguise  their 
disloyalty,  at  once  begin  to  glorify  the  Union  as 
it  was,  and  the  Constitution  as  it  is.  And  when 
they  want  "an  excuse  to  rail  against  the  govern- 
ment, they  dwell  upon  the  cruelty  of  the  war 
and  the  immense  loss  of  life  and  property  at- 
tendant upon  it.  But  they  are  careful  to  say 
nothing  of  the  barbarity  and  fiendishness  of  the 
rebels.  Let  any  one  mention  a  great  crime,  or 
a  shocking  murder,  committed  by  traitors  or 
slave-driving  demons,  and  the  class  of  men  just 
mentioned  are  ready  in  a  moment   to  find  an 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  223 


excuse  for  the  inhumanity.  If  the  Union 
troops  burn  a  town,  through  military  necessity, 
they  are  called  vandals,  thieves,  incendiaries. 
But  when  it  is  said  that  a  gang  of^rebels  sur- 
prised a  Union  family  at  dead  of  night,  and 
murdered  the  head  of  the  house  in  the  presence 
of  his  family,  then  robbed  and  burnt  the  dwell- 
ing, or  w^hen  it  is  told,  that  a  neighborhood  or 
village  has  been  surprised,  pillaged,  burnt,  and 
the  inhabitants  indiscriminately  massacred,  these 
tories,  straightway,  begin  to  make  excuses  for 
them.  "  They  were  exasperated.  The  aboli- 
tionists have  made  them  mad.  Their  ni^^jrers 
have  been  stolen  or  persuaded  away,  and  that's 
vastly  provoking."  Thus  they  go  on.  Is  it 
not  plain  whose  side  they  are  on? 

The  author  of  these  pages  has  heard  this 
class  of  men,  even  in  New  England,  apologizing 
for  the  late  terrible  massacre  at  Lawrence,  Kan- 
sas. "  The  fanatical  abolitionists  were  the  cause 
of  it,"  say  the}^  "  The  people  of  Missouri  have 
been  imposed  upon  by  the  Kansas  Yankees; 
they  can't  expect  anything  better." 

To   hear  such  an  outrage  excused^   to   hear 


224  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

such  cowardly  murderers  apologized  for,  is 
enough  to  set  any  honest  man's  heart  on  fire, 
and  send  his  hot  blood  tingling  through  every 
vein.         • 

Only  think  of  it !  eight  hundred  armed  ruffians 
and  assassins,  going  stealthily,  and  in  the  dead  of 
night,  upon  an  unarmed,  unwatched,  and  sleep- 
ing village,  and  with  fire  and  sword  spreading 
death  and  destruction  in  every  direction ;  rush- 
ing into  private  houses,  butchering  husbands  and 
brothers  in  the  presence  of  wife,  children,  moth- 
er, sisters,  —  an  inhumanity,  a  savage  cruelty, 
too  horrid  to  think  about.  Yet  men  there  are 
in  our  midst,  and  not  a  few,  who  are  fain  to 
apologize  for  this  barbarity.  "  These  men  have 
lost  their  niggers,  and  are  provoked."  Oh,  spe- 
cious excuse  for  indiscriminate  butchery!  ^^Tori/y 
traitor^  copperJiead^'  are  names  too  mild  for  such 
disloyal  wretches,  —  quite  too  mild,  no  matter 
where  they  belong,  or  in  what  countr)^  they 
may  live. 

The  eveninor  at  leno-th  came  round  for  Parson 
Southdo^vn's   lecture.     The   hall    was    crowded 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR.  225 

with  (ill  sorts  of  people  ;  and  mixed  in  with  the 
throng  were  scores  of  the  most  gallows-looking 
reprobates  that  ever  escaped  the  gibbet. 

"  Now,"  muttered  some  of  these  unwashed, 
uncombed  groundlings,  "if  he  says  anything  in 
favor  of  the  niggers,  we'll  howl  him  down,  or 
else  take  him  out  and  hang  him." 

It  is  remarkable  how  mean  men  detest  the 
colored  race.  It  is  true,  the  world  over,  that  the 
lower  and  more  degraded  a  white  man  is,  the 
worse  he  hates  a  black  man. 

The  parson,  without  any  apologies,  thus  be- 
gan:— 

"Men  of  Illinois!  it  is  a  dark  hour  for  our 
country ;  there  is  treason  at  the  South'  and 
treachery  in  the  North.  You  know  something 
of  what  has  happened  in  the  Slave  States  :  the 
people,  in  their  madness,  have  pulled  down 
upon  their  own  heads  the  direst  calamities. 
Alas,  what  bloodshed  and  desplation  I  have 
witnessed  there !  And  what  sorrows !  what 
heart-breaking!  And  the  end  is  not  yet.  De- 
signing men  are  struggling  for  power;  and 
dull -brained  and  malignant-hearted  creatures  — 


226  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

hardly  to  be  called  men  —  are  made  their  tools. 
And  these  soulless,  brutal  miscreants,  delighting 
to  do  mischief,  rush  headlong  and  remorse- 
lessly into  the  fearful  tragedy.  We  have  seen 
the  ruin  which  tracks  their  progress. 

"  Believe  me,  the  same  elements  exist  in  the 
free  North.  You,  here,  are  hanging  upon  the 
brink  of  a  volcano,  —  a  volcano,  swelling,  seeth- 
ing, quivering,  for  its  tipheaval !  Should  the 
eruption  come,  woe  to  this  land !  All  that  is 
now  fair  and  beautiful  will  be  quickly  effaced 
and  speedily  blotted  out.  And  who  will  be  to 
blame  but  yourselves?  It  is  for  3'ou  to  say 
whether  you  will  have  peace  and  prosperity  in 
this  bright  land,  or  war  and  desolation. 

"You  have  among  you  many  reckless  men 
who  are  utter  strangers  to  any  feeling  or  sen- 
timent of  patriotism;  and  have  never  taken 
thought  about  what  it  is  to  have  a  country,  — 
a  free  country, —  who  have  no  appreciation  of  a 
government,  and  who  know  not  how  to  prize 
good  and  wholesome  laws.  This  class  of  men 
readily  become  the  tools  of  unscrupulous  poli- 
ticians, demagogues,  and  partisans. 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  227 

"  If  there  is  any  difference  between  Southern 
tnaitors  and  Northern  tories,  that  difference  is 
in  favor  of  the  former;  for  they  are  greatly 
blinded  by  their  hot  blood  and  fiery  passions, 
and  by  what  they  think  their  interests ;  while 
the  disloyal  men  of  the  North  are  cool^  calcu- 
lating knaves,  snakes  in  the  grass,  and  very 
appropriately  called  ^'  Copperheads." 

At  this,  the  great  iimvashcd  began  to  hiss. 

"  There  they  are  now ! "  exclaimed  the  par- 
son ;  "  don't  you  hear  them  hiss  ?  According  to 
natural  history,  there  are  but  two  creatures  that 
hiss, —  the  goose  and  the  serpent.  The  latter 
hisses  from  malice,  and  the  former  for  the  want 
of  sense.  I  shall  leave  it  for  the  hissing  bipeds 
of  the  present  assembly  to  determine  for  them- 
selves as  to  which  class  they  belong. 

"  Conspiracies  and  conspirators  are  not  all  at 
the  South ;  plotting  viliany  is  at  work  in  the 
North  \  intrigue  is  busy  and  sedition  rife  !  " 

,Now  again  the  ruffians  got  up  an  interrup- 
tion,—  groaned  and  howled,  and  behaved  in  the 
most  unseemly  manner.  But  the  parson,  ele- 
vating his  strong,  trumpet-toned  voice,  went  on : 


228  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

"  Secret  conclaves,  bent  on  direst  mischief, 
and  aiming  at  the  overthrow  of  the  govern- 
ment, infest  almost  every  precinct  in  this  coun- 
try." 

A  politician  in  the  audience,  a  vaporing  dem- 
aQ:og:ue.  who  stood  at  the  head  of  a  Castle,  or 
fraternity  of  the  Golden  Circle,  that  held  their 
secret  meetings  in  the  place,  taking  the  parson's 
last  sentence  for  a  fling  at  their  Order,  poured 
forth  a  torrent  of  oaths,  low  slang,  and  disgrace- 
ful billingsgate,  which,  though  highly  ojQfensive 
to  ears  polite,  yet  seemed  exactly  to  the  taste 
of  that  portion  of  the  crowd  which  belonged  to 
the  great  unwashed.  They  applauded  the  black- 
guard to  the  echo,  while  they  cursed  Parson 
Southdown  for  an  abolition  refugee,  whom  the 
slave-holders  should  have  shot  or  hung. 

Heeding  little  their  furious  threats  and  dem- 
onstrations, the  speaker  said,  — 

"Do  you  ask  me  what  motive  men  can  have 
at  the  North  for  turning  traitors,  acting  a  (Jis- 
loyal  part,  and  trying  to  trammel  the  wheels 
of  the  government?  I  can  readily  tell  you. 
Chiefly   are    they   actuated    by   party   rancor. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  229 

They  would  even  punish  themselves  for  the 
sake  of  gratifying  their  malice  against  a  party, 
which,  to  their  infinite  mortification,  has,  in  a 
fair  race,  gained  a  victory  over  them.  Besides, 
the  only  hope  the  disloyal  party  can  have  of 
ever  again  coming  into  power  is  that  of  joining 
hands  with  the  rebels.  The  traitors  north  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line  may  profess  to  be 
Union  men,  but  they  mean,  all  the  while,  a 
union  with  the  slave-holding  power.  The  dis- 
appointed ofQce-seekers  of  this  country  are  the 
ringleaders  in  the  disloyal  movement  which  is 
making  so  much  trouble.  They  are  unscru- 
pulous, time-serving  men,  who,  for  the  sake  of 
office,  would  unhesitatingly  make  an  agreement 
with  hell,  and  enter  into  compact  with  Satan 
himselfy  Here  the  rabble  howled  and  hissed 
again. 

"I  tell  you  plainly,"  continued  the  parson, 
"from  north  to  south,  from  east  to  west,  the 
sworn  enemies  of  freedom,  the  sworn  enemies  of 
law  and  order,  of  right,  truth,  justice,  are  mar- 
shalling their  clans,  and  banding  themselves  to- 
gether for  the  most  diaboHcal  purpose  that  ever 

20 


230  THE   STARS   AND    BARS; 

actuated  depraved  men.  Their  determination 
is  to  rule  or  ruiiL  If  they  cannot  control  the 
government,  they  want  to  break  it  up.  If  they 
cannot  hold  the  helm  of  the  ship  of  state,  they 
want  to  see  it  dashed  upon  the  rocks. 

"Think  me  no  fanatic.  I  know  these  men, 
and  I  am  acquainted  with  their  brethren  in 
Rebeldom.  They  are  of  the  same  spirit;  they 
have  the  same  howl,  the  same  hiss,  and  the 
-same  growl ;  and  they  are  aiming  at  the  same 
end,  —  wlw  should  they  not  sympathize? 

"  This  combination  against  the  government, 
on  the  part  of  the  traitors  of  the  South  and  the 
lories  of  the  North,  should  suggest  to  loyal  men 
and  patriots  the  necessity  of  joining  hand  to 
hand,  and  standing  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  the 
great  conflict,  which  is  now  inevitable*  and  al- 
ready begun,  and  the  result  of  which  is  destined 
to  tell  upon  future  ages,  and  to  settle,  it  may 
be,  certain  important  and  vexed  questions  for 
all  time  to  come. 

"It  shocks  me,  fellow-citizens,  to  hear  so  many 
of  3^ou  talk  as  though  it  mattered  little  whether 
the  government  should  stand  or  fall.     Civilized 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  231 


and  Christianized  as  we  claim  to  be,  if  we 
should  be  left  without  a  government,  a  very 
few  years  would  suffice  to  see  us  lapsed  into 
barbarism. 

"  It  is  a  time  for  patriots  to  do  their  duty  and 
stand  by  tlieir  suffering  country.  We  are  pass- 
ing through  a  fearful  crisis.  Everything  is 
imperilled,  —  liberty,  religion,  and  all  we  hold 
sacred  are  imnerilted.     Can  we  be  silent  or  inac- 

A. 

live  at  such  a  time  ?  Shall  we  sleep  at  our 
posts,  or  resign  ourselves  to  indifference,  while 
tyrants  are  upon  the  alert,  while  conspirators 
are  stealing  forth  with  foul  intent,  and  while 
the  political  incendiary,  torch  in  hand,  enters 
the  citadel  which  we,  as  patriots,  are  set  to  de- 
fend ?     Forbid  it.  Almighty  God ! 

"  The  wise  and  good  of  all  nations  have  ever 
reckoned  patriotism  among  the  highest  and 
brightest  of  human  virtues ;  and  very  justly ; 
for,  without  this  virtue,  governments,  whether 
good  or  bad,  could  have  no  stability,  nor  the 
best  institutions  of  a  country  the  least  security. 
A  patriot  may,  I  grant,  seek  to  improve  or  to 
reform  the  government  under  which  he  lives  by 


232  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

an  apjDeal  to  enlightened  reason  and  to  the 
principles  of  truth  and  justice.  But  he  will 
not,  for  a  light  cause,  desire  revolution,  much 
less  to  kindle  the  terrible  fires  of  civil  war. 
Eebellion  can  only  be  justified  in  cases  of  great 
oppression,  injustice,  and  tyranny,  on  the  part  of 
a  government ;  because  rebellion  and  revolution 
seldom  occur  without  fearful  disaster  and  an 
immense  cost  of  blood  and  treasure,  and,  if  suc- 
cessful, generally  result  in  rending,  upheaving 
the  foundations,  and  overturning  the  whole 
superstructure  of  a  government,  thereby  de- 
stroying much,  if  not  all,  that's  good  and  valua- 
ble connected  with  it,  besides  wrecking  private 
fortunes  and  causing  a  vast  destruction  of  pub- 
lic and  private  property,  as  well  as  loss  of  life, 
depraving  of  manners,  and  serious  detriment  to 
morality  and  religion.  As  long  as  evils  are  at 
all  bearable,  rebellion  is  scarcely  justifiable,  even 
in  a  had  government,  owing  to  the  dire  calami- 
ties and  untold  sufferino^  it  never  fails  to  brinor 
with  it.  What,  then,  should  be  thought  of  the 
men  who,  from  motives  of  ambition  and  self-ag- 
grandizement, can  enter  into  conspiracy  against 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  233 

a  good  government,  —  treacherously  attempt  its 
overthrow,  and  recklessly  precipitate  their  coun- 
try into  bloody  revolution  ? 

"What  should  be  thou2:ht  of  American  citi- 
zens  who,  not  content  with  the  God-given  heri- 
tage of  peace  and  plenty,  not  content  with  our 
national  greatness  and  prosperity,  not  content 
with  our  glorious  Union,  not  content  with  the 
best  government  upon  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  and  not  satisfied  with  having  been  pam- 
pered, petted,  and  flattered  by  a  too  indulgent 
government,  not  satisfied  with  having  been  al- 
lowed to  monopolize  the  fairest  portion  of  our 
fair  land,  not  satisfied  with  having  grown  rich 
by  piracy  and  kidnapping,  —  ay,  not  satisfied 
with  having  enslaved  millions  of  human  beings, 
wringing  from  their  weary  hands,  year  after 
year,  unpaid  toil,  and  holding  them  in  a  state 
of  the  most  abject  and  cruel  bondage,  —  what, 
I  repeat,  should  be  thought  of  American  citi- 
zens who,  not  content,  not  satisfied,  with  all 
these  advantages,  and  being  indulged  in  the 
practice  of  all  these  enormities,  yet  seek  to  ruin 
the  government  that  has  built  them  up,  and 

20* 


234  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

that  has  honored,  shielded,  and  protected  them  ? 

Ay,  and  who,  to  compass  that  ruin,  have  been 

« 

guilty  of  perjury,  treacher}',  plunder,  and  mur- 
der! What,  I  ask,  should  be  thought  of  such 
American  citizens  ? 

"  The  men  who  made  this  revolution,  who  in- 
augurated the  disastrous  civil  war  that  is  upon 
us,  have  long  received  unmerited  honors  at  the 
hands  of  the  government  they  are  now  trying 
to  destroy ;  they  have  had  lavished  upon  them  far 
more  than  their  share  of  Federal  patronage  and 
Federal  offices.  Instead  of  being  grateful  for 
undeserved  favors,  they,  meanwhile,  only  grew 
the  more  insolent,  arrogant,  overbearing,  and 
dictatorial.  And,  at  last,  because,  forsooth,  the 
slave-power  was  not  allowed  to  continue  domi- 
nant at  Washington, — after  having  almost  ruined 
the  government,  —  these  vile  and  unprincipled 
men,  flying  into  a  passion,  began  at  once  to  set 
mischief  on  foot,  and  to  lay  plans  for  the  rend- 
ing and  utter  subversion  of  the  Union.  And  it 
comes  out  that  to  rule  or  ruin  has  been  their 
secret  motto  for  years  ;  and  that,  while  pretend- 
ing to  serve   the  government,  they  were,  even 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF   TERROR.  235 

then,  but  a  secret  conclave  of  black-hearted  trai- 
tors, plotting  the  disruption  of  the  Union  and 
the  overthrow  of  the  government. 

"And  only  think  of  the  means  resorted  to  in 
order  to  make  the  revolution  a  success, — how 
diabolical !  Equally  abhorrent  to  religion  and 
humanity,  and  calculated  to  kindle  feelings  of 
irrepressible  indignation  in  every  feeling  heart. 

"A  mode  of  warfare  has  been  sanctioned  by 
the  leaders  in  this  war  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Union  that  will  stamp  eternal  disgrace  upon 
Southern  character,  and  justly  excite  the  world's 
abhorrence  ! 

"  But  cruelty,  brutality,  selfishness,  and  fiend- 
ishness,  belong  not  exclusively  to  the  South. 
Northern  men,  who  take  sides  with  such  wretches, 
excuse  their  barbaritj^,  give  countenance  to  and 
manifest  sympathy  for  them  in  their  career  of 
crime,  are  no  better  than  they. 

"  Men  of  Illinois,  those  of  you  who  are  seek- 
ing to  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  admin- 
istration, while  struggling  to  roll  back  the  dark 
and  desolating  wave  of  revolution,  quell  insur- 
rection, crush  the  wicked  rebellion,  restore  law 


233  THE  STAES   MH)   BARS; 

and  order,  and  give  peace  to  the  conntry,  are 
traitors  of  the  worst  type,  and  deserve  to  liang 
by  the  neck  ! " 

At  this,  the  politician  again  began  to  swear, 
rant,  and  rave.  The  groundlings,  who  looked  to 
him  as  their  leader,  immediately  joined  in,  mak- 
ing a  tremendous  uproar. 

Being  well  armed,  and  knowing  how  to  use 
revolvers  in  cases  of  ^emergency,  the  parson  had 
but  little  fear  of  bodily  injury.  Amid  the  con- 
fusion he  still  kept  on  :  — 

"To  my  certain  knowledge,  Northern  tories, 
and  especially  disloyal  editors,  in  this  and  other 
non-slave-holding  States,  have  done  and  are  still 
doing  much  to  prolong  the  terrible,  sanguinary 
strife  in  which  we  are  engaged.  Many  young  men 
of  Missouri,  now  in  the  rebel  army,  were  induced 
to  enlist  under  the  stars  and  bars,  in  opposition 
to  the  stars  and  stripes,  by  reading  a  class  of  dis- 
loyal Northern  papers,  with  which  Missouri  is  in- 
undated. These  incendiary  and  seditious  sheets 
are  full  of  lying  invective  and  inflammatory 
denunciation  against  the  administration,  the  na- 
tional currency,  and  the  Federal  army.    The  war, 


OR;   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  237 

which  is  purely  one  of  self-defence  on  the  part 
of  the  government,  and  waged  but  to  preserve 
the  existence  and  save  the  life  of  the  nation,  is 
called  a  Lincoln  war,  a  Black-Republican  war.  an 
abolition  war,  &c.  And  they  are  continually 
telling  the  armed  traitors,  that  great  meetings 
are  beinsr  held  all  over  the  Northern  States  for 
the  purpose  of  putting  a  stop  to  the  war.  They 
tell  the  rebels  of  the  South,  that  their  country 
is  invaded  by  vandal  hordes  from  the  North,  who 
seek  to  trample  upon  their  rights  and  reduce 
them  to  slavery.  And,  all  the  while,  they  ignore 
the  fact  that  the  slave-holders  of  the  South  began 
the  war,  and  that  the  Federal  government  has 
only  met  this  appeal  to  arms,  by  the  arbitrament 
of  the  sword  and  the  stern  process  of  war,  for 
the  purpose  of  vindicating  the  supremacy  of 
the  laws  and  putting  down  a  causeless  rebellion. 
"  The  effect  of  these  disloyal  newspapers  is  to 
induce  the  belief,  in  the  minds  of  the  rebels, 
that  there  is  a  large  and  growing  party  at  the 
North  in  sympathy  with  them,  and  whose  influ- 
ence wiirsoon  be  sufficient  to  paralyze  the  arm 
of  the  Federal  government,  and  so  cripple  the 


238  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 

power  of  the  administratioti  as  to  insure  success 
to  the  revolution. 

^•And  these  reprobates  are  the  more  wicked 
in  thus  sowing;  the  seeds  of  sedition  and  en- 
couragmg  rebellion,  because  of  their  hypocrisy. 
They  really  have  no  wish  for  the  ultimate  suc- 
cess of  the  rebel  arms  and  a  division  of  the 
country;  no!  their  hope  is  to  have  the  war  con- 
tinue, while  they  seem  to  oppose  it,  till  the  next 
presidential  election,  in  order  to  have  a  chance 
to  reproach  and  displace  the  party  in  power. 
Then  they  expect  to  take  the  Southern  traitors 
in  their  arms,  saying, — 

"^We  have  been  your  friends  all  the  while; 
now,  just  come  back  into  the  Union  and  help  us 
beat  the  Republicans,  and  we'll  make  slavery 
the  chief  corner-stone  of  the  government.' " 

As  to  a  majority  of  his  hearers,  the  parson 
was  but  "casting  pearls  before  swine;"  they  had 
neither  the  honesty  to  receive  the  truth,  nor 
minds  to  comprehend  and  feel  the  force  of 
argument. 

And  right  here  lies  the  great  danger,  —  dai 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  239 

ger  to  our  country  and  its  free  institutions,  dan- 
ger to  the  Republic, — thejgnorance  and  vicious- 
ness  of  a  very  large  class,  both  of  foreigners 
and  native-born  Americans.  To  carry  this  un- 
cultured, unreflecting  herd,  and  make  them 
their  tools,  designing  men  have  only  to  appeal 
to  their  prejudices  and  inflame  their  passions. 
And  when  such  appeals  are  made,  these  brutal 
men  are  ready  either  to  vote  or  to  moh^  as  the 
knaves  who  play  upon  their  passions  and  preju- 
dices may  dictate. 

The  truth  of  this  has  been  abundantly  exem- 
plified of  late,  at  New  York,  Boston,  Detroit, 
and  in  various  localities  throughout  Indiana, 
Ohio,  and  Illinois. 

In  New  York,  fifty  thousand  of  these  degraded 
human  beings  were  set  on  by  the  disloyal  press 
of  that  city,  and  by  certain  copperhead  politi- 
cians, to  trample  down  law  and  order,  burn  pub- 
lic property,  pillage,  rob,  and  murder.  And  this 
barbarous  conduct  their  apologiats,  who  had 
cunningly  instigated  them  to  commit  such  bru- 
tal outrages,  called  resisting  the  draft.  "  These 
poor  men  don't  want  to  go  fight  against  their 


2i0  THE  STARS   AND    BARS: 


brethren  at  the  South,"  say  the  copperheads. 
Yet  these  same  "  poor  men "  thmk  no  hardship 
of  liillmg  innocent  people  in  the  streets  of  New 
York,  —  and  people,  too,  no  more  to  blame  for 
the  draft  than  the  inhabitants  of  another  planet.' 
The  negroes  they  murdered  were  just  as  liable 
to  the  draft  as  themselves.  To  kill  these  harm- 
less black  men  was  rather  a  strange  way  of 
resisting  the  draft. 

The  truth  is,  ijliinder  was  the  main  object ; 
and  the  wire-workers  behind  the  curtain  hoped 
to  have  their  political  enemies  robbed  and  mur- 
dered. 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


241 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


**  But  endless  is  the  list  of  human  iUs ; 
And  sighs  might  sooner  oease  than  cause  to  sigh." 


WEARY,  haggard-looking  man 
made  his  appearance,  one  day, 
at  Parson  Southdown's  cabin ; 
his  abrupt  salutation,  on  enter- 
in  o-  the  house,  was  the  follow- 
ing:  — 

"  I've  hurn  that  you're  a 
preacher  from  Missouri,  an'  a  refugee ;  now 
I'm  from  Missouri,  too;  come  from  way  down 
the  lower  eand  of  the  State,  whur  it  jines  on  to 
Arkansaw.  I  wur  run  off  by  them  'bom'nable 
grillers,  case  I  kind  o'  stuck  up  for  the  ole 
UnionV  The  blasted  critters  wanted  to  hang 
me,  whether  or  no;  so  my  nighest  neighbor, 
Jim  Cooly,  found  out  what  was  gwien  on,  an' 
he  steps  in,  an'  jist  in  time.  Oh  dear!  it  riles 
me  when  I  think  about  it     As  I  was  gwien  to 


21 


242  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

say.  one  minute  later,  and  I'd  been  strung  up 
by  the  neck,  with  nothin'  to  stand  on  but  the 
naked  air;  an'  wouldn't  that  'ave  been  a  purty 
sight  for  my  poar  wife  an'  children  ?  But  what 
would  them  tarnal  grillers  have  kured  for  that  ? 
—  the  savage  heathens!  But  as  I  was  sayin', 
Jim  Cooly  steps  in,  jist  in  the  nick  of  time,  an' 
pulls  out  a  bottle  of  whiskey  from  his  pocket, 
an'  hands  it  to  the  rascal  who  wus  jist  gwien  to 
tie  the  rope  round  my  neck.  You  may  depend 
on  it,  stranger,  I  felt  mighty  quare.  Well,  you 
see,  the  hangman,  he  kotch  hold  of  the  bottle ; 
an'  while  he  wus  swoUerin'  the  licker,  an'  the 
rest  wur  crowdin'  up  to  take  their  turn,  Cooly, 
he  hunched  me,  an'  whispered  in  my  yur  what 
I'll  never  forgit  ef  I  live  to  be  as  old  as  Jerusa- 
lem. He  said,  says  he,  '  What's  your  legs  made 
for?'  Depend  on  it,  I  took  the  hint  quicker 
nor  lightning.  Then  says  he,  '  Cut  stick,  you 
fool !  nor  don't  stop  tell  you  git  t'other  -side  of 
the  north  pole.'  Jehosophat !  you  orter  seen 
me  run  across  the  turnip-patch.  I  fairly  split 
the  wind ;  an'  waist  of  all,  I  didn't  have  time  to 
say  farewell  to  Sally  an'  the  children.     An'  so, 


on,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  243 


you  see,  I've  kept  gwien  tell  Pve  got  hur ;  and 
as  you're  a  refugee  from  Missouri,  I  kind  o'  feel 
a  feller-feelin'  for  you;  an'  ef  you've  no  objec- 
tions, I'm  powerful  weak  and  hungry,  and 
wouldn't  care  to  have  a  little  morsel  to  eat." 

"Certainly,  —  most  certainly,  my  friend,"  re- 
plied the  parson  ;  "  though  poor,  we  still  have 
something  to  satisfy  hunger." 

Mrs.  Southdown  by  this  time  was  on  her  feet, 
and  making  the  dishes  rattle.  Ludicrous  as  the 
poor  fellow's  story  was,  it  had  touched  a  tender 
chord  in  her  heart  and  awakened  the  liveliest 
sympathies. 

"I  was  so  hungry,"  resumed  the  refugee, 
"  that  I  stopped  on'  the  road  a  mile  or  so  back, 
an'  tried  to  git  some  dinner.  When  I  tole  'em 
I  wus  druve  out  of  Missouri,  they  said,  says 
they,  '  You  must  a-been  an  abolitionist,  or  you 
wouldn't  *ave  been  druve  off  that  way.'  Now, 
ye  see,  that  kind  o'  riled  me  all  over,  'case 
I  jist  as  live  be  called  a  hos-thief  as  an  abolition- 
ist. One  a'n't  no  better  'an  tother.  I've  alers 
been  furnents  abolition,  ever  sense  I  wus  horned. 
So  them  folks  told  me  I  might  go  amongst  the 


244:  THE   STARS   AND    BARS: 


Black  Eepublicans  to  git  my  dinner.  Woll,  ye 
see,  the  more  I  denied  bein'  an  abolitionist,  the 
more  they  stuck  to  it  I  wus.  Plague  take  sich 
a  set !  I  wus  mad  enough  to  'ave  fout  'em." 

"  You  will  find  plenty  of  such  people  in  this 
country,"  responded  the  parson. 

^^  They'd  better  mind  how  they  'cuse  me  of 
bein'  an  abolitionist,"  continued  the  fellow ; 
"  nothin'  riles  me  like  that.  An'  spacially  when 
I'm  parted  from  my  pracious  wife  an'  chil- 
dren. Oh,  jist  to  think  of  it !  how  this  awful 
war's  separatin'  husban'  an'  wife,  parents  an'  chil- 
dren, brothers  an'  sisters !  Oh,  it's  shockin'  to 
human  natur !  " 

"  True,  that  is  very  hard,  my  friend,"  observed 
Parson  Southdown ;  "  but,  after  all,  some  good 
may  come  of  it.  Some  of  us  need  to  be  taught 
what  it  is  to  be  separated  from  nearest  and 
dearest  friends.  I  have  met  with  a  great  many 
slave-holders  in  this  State  and  Iowa,  who,  for 
their  love  of  the  Union,  had  to  fl}^  from  Missouri 
and  Arkansas;  they  make  a  wonderful  ado 
about  being  forced  to  separate  from  their 
friends ;  husbands  complain  of  being  sundered 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  245 

from  their  wives  and  children,  and  the  wives 
and  children  left  behind  complain  as  bitterly, 
no  doubt,  that  husband  and  father  have  been 
cruelly  compelled  to  part  from  them.  But  let 
us  only  think  of  the  infinitely  more  cruel  sepa- 
rations that  have  been  couimon  and  of  daily 
occurrence  at  the  South  for  generations.  Moth- 
ers and  fathers  have  been  sold  from  their  chil- 
dren; children  sold  from  their  parents;  hus- 
bands sold  from  their  wives,  and  wives  from 
their  husbands,  —  and  parted,  in  many  instances, 
forever.  Yet  all  that  is  thought  nothing  of" 
"  Case  why  !  they  are  niggers,"  said  the  ref- 


ugee. 


"  That  makes  it  none  the  less  cruel  and  un- 
just," responded  the  parson  ;  "  they  have  feeling 
and  affection  the  same  as  we  have." 

"  S'pose  they  have,  a'n't  they  niggers  ?  " 
"  Ah,  I  perceive  you  have  the  unanswerable, 
stereotyped,  pro-slavery  argument.  They  are 
nifro'ers  ;  that's  what  confounds  us.  And  it  is 
the  sum  and  substance  of  all  the  arg;uments 
used  by  the  champions  of  slavery.  North  and 
South.     The  argument  is  formidable  and  irrefut- 


24:6  THE   STARS    AND   BARS: 


able,  simply  because  it  is  j)ointless  and  souse- 
less  ;  to  refute  it  would  be  to  refute  an  empty 
sound." 

"  I  don't  boast  of  liavin'  no  great  larnin',  but 
I'm  edecated  enough  to  know  that  nio:£i:ers  wur 
made  fur  slaves." 

"  But  let  us  go  back  to  this  complaint  you 
make  about  being  separated  from  your  wife  and 
children.  You  do  not  expect  this  separation  to 
last ;  when  the  war  is  over,  if  not  sooner,  you 
expect  to  return  to  j^our  home  and  family.  I 
have  seen  slave-fathers,  of  as  fine  feelings,  and 
as  warm  affections  as  3'ourself,  and  no  less  in- 
telligent, sold  in  Missouri,  and  taken  to  Alabama 
and  Louisiana,  and  elsewhere  in  the  South,  — 
taken  from  wife  and  children  without  the  proba- 
bility or  hope  of  ever  meeting  again  in  this 
world.  The  fiuends  of  slavery,  who  are  now 
scattered  and  sundered,  through  the  operations 
of  civil  war,  should  think  of  the  thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands  of  poor  slaves,  who  have  been 
treated  as  if  they  were  beasts,  incapable  of 
feeling  and  affection,  —  and  they  should  think 
of  the  parents  and  children,  husbands  and  wives, 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  247 

they  themselves  have  been  the  means  of  part- 
ing forever." 

"Well,  rally!  Shor'es  my  name's  Piper,  I 
never  in  all  my  born  days  hum  anybody  talk 
up  for  niggers  that  way." 

At  this  juncture,  a  mulatto  man  rapped  at  the 
threshold. 

"  Walk  in,"  said  the  parson,  rising  and  oiBfering 
a  chair  to  the  stranger. 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  said  the  colored  man,  timid- 
ly;  "1  am  travelling,  and  am  without  money  ; 
though  not  accustomed  to  beg,  I  am  compelled 
to  ask  for  something  to  eat." 

"  Please  be  seated,  sir,"  answered  the  parson ; 
"  you  will  be  welcome  to  such  as  we  have." 

"  Whur  you  from,  and  whar  are  you  gwien 
to  ?  "  impertinently  demanded  Piper. 

"  I  am  from  the  State  of  Missouri,  sir,"  replied 
the  mulatto,  civilly,  yet  in  a  tone  of  rebuke. 
Manifestly,  he  at  once  perceived  that  the  ques- 
tioner was  an  impertinent  clown. 

"I  guess  you're  a  runaway  slave,"  persisted 
Piper,  in  his  impertinence. 

"  I  have  been  a  slave,  sir,"  said  the  fugitive, 


248  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

frankly ;  "  but  Fortune's  wheel,  which  now  lv)w- 
ers  the  proud  oppressor,  has  elevated  me.  And 
I  hope,  before  it's  done  turning,  it  will  raise 
and  make  free  all  my  down-trodden  race." 

"  Hi  ho  !  you  talk  as  impudent  as  any  free 
nigger  I  ever  come  across.  I  'spect  you  cal- 
kilate  on  doin'  big  things  in  this  free  country. 
You'd  be  enough  sight  better  off  with  your 
moster." 

"  My  place  is  vacant,  sir ;  if  you  think  it  a 
desirable  situation,  you  shall  be  quite  welcome 
to  it." 

"  I  a'n't  a  nio-g-er." 

"  There  are  plenty  of  slaves  whiter  than  you, 


sir." 


By  this  time  dinner  was  ready,  and  the  hun- 
gry men  were  both  invited  to  take  seats  at  the 
table.  Piper  rushed  forward,  and,  seating  him- 
self, seized  his  knife  and  fork,  and  went  to  work 
like  a  starved  hound.  The  fugitive  modestly 
approached  the  table,  and  was  about  to  take 
a  seat,  when  Piper  said, — 

"  I  guess  you'll  wait  till  I'm  done." 

"  I've   no   predjudice  against   color,  sir,"   re- 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OP   TERROR.  249 


plied  the  mulatto,  with  a  mischievous  twinkle  in 
hi.s  eye.  Yet  he  hesitated  a  moment  -,  but  as 
soon  as  he  glanced  at  Mrs.  Southdown,  he  per- 
ceived he  had  her  approbation,  which  was  all  he 
wanted,  and  proceeded  to  take  a  seat  at  the 
table. 

"  Get  away  from  here,  you  impudent  nigger ! " 
bawled  Piper,  in  the  most  ruffian-like  manner. 

''•If  you  expect  to  eat  at  my  table,  sir,"  said 
the  parson,  "  you  must  conduct  yourself  more 
like  a  gentleman." 

"I  wusn't  fotch  up  to  eat  with  slaves;  and 
I'm  not  gwien  to  be  imposed  on." 

"  If  I've  imposed  on  anybody,  it's  upon  this 
colored  gentleman,  in  asking  him  to  eat  with 
such  a  scavenger-looking  fellow  as  you." 

Jumping  up  from  the  table  in  a  rage.  Piper 
began  walking  the  floor  to  and  fro,  puffing  and 
blowing  considerably. 

Now  Mrs.  Southdown  brouorht  in  a  dish  of 
nice  fried  ham  and  eg-G^s,  and  set  it  before  the 
fugitive.  To  this  new  dish  Piper's  longing  eyes 
turned  wistfully.  There  was  now  a  struggle 
between  appetite  and  dignity ;   between    pride 


250  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

and  an  empty  stomach.  The  fugitive  observed 
this  internal  conflict,  and  secretly  hoped  that 
,  pride  would  prevail ;  but  very  soon  he  per- 
ceived that  ravenous  appetite  was  about  to 
gain  the  ascendenc}^;  as  Piper  sullenly  drew 
up  to  the  table,  the  contraband  appropriated 
the  ham  and  eggs  by  sweeping  the  contents  of 
the  dish  into  his  own  plate.  At  this,  Piper 
looked  daggers,  and  could  hardly  restrain  him- 
self from  going  into  another  diabolical  rage; 
but  he  wisely  concluded  to  fill  his  mouth  wdth 
cabbage  rather  than  angry  words.  After  all, 
he  made  a  hearty  meal;  but  got  no  ham  and 
eggs. 

Ascertaining  that  the  fugitive  slave  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  preaching  occasionally  to.  his 
fellow-bondmen.  Parson  Southdown  proposed 
that  he  should  make  a  public  discourse  to  the 
citizens  of  the  village,  on  slavery  and  the  re- 
bellion ;  to  which  he  consented.  The  appoint- 
ment was  made;  and  when  the  time  came 
round,  a  great  crowd  convened  to  hear  him. 
More  were  Ihere,  however,  from  bad  intent  than 
from  good  motives. 


OR,   THE  REIGN   OP   TERROR.  251 

With  simple,  but  impressive  and  touching, 
eloquence,  the  fugitive  pleaded  the  cause  of  his 
ignored  and  persecuted  race.  In  the  midst  of 
his  powerful  appeals,  an  Irishman,  standing  in 
the  crowd,  cried  out,  "  Oh,  wonderful !  who  ever 
heard  the  leik  from  a  nager  ! " 

"  Poll !  "  said  a  tory,  standing  near  him,  — 
"  Flanna  O'Larkin,  don't  be  humbugged  by  that 
fellow ',  he's  only  half  nigger." 

'*  Only  half  nager,  ond  can  do  sooch  woon- 
ders !  by  jabers,  what  thin  could  he  do  af  he 
were  all  nager  ?  " 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  speech,  a  copperhead 
politician  said  to  his  clan,  in  a  loud  voice,  that 
he  guessed  the  fugitive  slave  law  was  still  in 
force,  and  that,  being  a  law-abiding  man,  he  felt 
disposed,  if  he  could  get  assistance,  to  return 
this  runaway  slave  to  his  master. 

A  score  or  more  of  the  baser  sort  at  once 
rallied  round  the  politician,  proffering  to  assist 
him  in  taking  the  negro.  Parso»  Southdown, 
anticipating  the  possibility  of  such  a  demonstra- 
tion, had  slipped  a  couple  of  revolvers  into  his 
pocket. 


252  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

"  This  man  is  my  guest/'  said  the  parson ;  "  I 
will  protect  him  at  the  risk  of  my  life." 

The  politician,  with  a  gang  of  villains  at  his 
heels,  made  at  the  fugitive.  But  luckily,  Parson 
Southdown  was  already  between  the  parties: 
quickly  drawing  his  revolvers,  and  taking  one 
in  each  hand,  he  declared  his  intention  to  kill 
as  many  of  them  as  he  could.  The  wretches 
stood  back. 

The  mob  soon  dispersed,  but  evidently  with 
the  intention  of  arming  themselves,  the  morci 
safely  to  carry  out  their  villanous  designs. 

There  happened  to  be  an  officer  present,  who 
had  a  company  of  new  recruits  encamped  with- 
in a  few  miles  of  the  place.  Seeing  that  the 
mob  was  bent  on  violence,  he  hastened  back  to 
camp,  and  speedily  as  possible  brought  his  mon 
into  the  copperhead  village,  and  just  in  time  to 
quell  what,  evidently,  would  have  proved  a  seri- 
ous riot.  The  mob  had  surrounded  Parson  South- 
down's  domicile,  threatening  violence  if  the 
negi'o  was  not  given  up.  Not  knowing  thut 
there  were  any  Federal  soldiers  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, the  ruffians  were  taken  greatly  by  sur- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR,  253 

prise  when  they  found  themselves  surrounded 
by  armed  men. 

The  c«aptain  of  the  company  arrested  the 
whole  tatterdemalion  crew,  and  kept  them  un- 
der guard  two  days,  allowing  them  only  bread 
and  water  for  their  rations.  During  which  time, 
the  parson  took  his  family  and  the  fugitive  to 
an  adjoining  county,  where  there  was  more 
loyalty,  and  a  better  and  more  intelligent  class 
of  people. 

The  day  after  the  parson's  removal  to  his  new 
home,  lo  !  and  who  should  make  his  appearance 
but  Uncle  Ned  of  Platte  City. 

"  Ho,  ho  !  Massa  Soufdown,"  cried  the  -good 
old  darky,  while .  his  faded  and  sunken  eyes 
kindled  and  sparkled  with  new  life  and  fire ; 
"  ho,  ho !  I's  kotch  up  wid  you  at  last ! " 

^'  Bless  your  soul.  Uncle  Ned  ! "  exclaimed 
the  parson  ;  "  what  in  the  world  has  brought 
you  here  ?  " 

"  Why,  dese  free  legs ;  praise  be  to  de  good 
Lor  A'mighty  ! " 

"  Pray,  what's  happened.  Uncle  Ned  ?"  sai  1  Mrs. 

22 


254  THE  STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

Southdown,  clasping  the  old  man's  hand  with 
ecstasy. 

"  Why,  de  yur  ob  jubelo  am  come  ! "  answered 
he ;  "but  de  rebels,  dey  say  de  Debil's  to  pay.  So, 
as  dis  darky  don't  owe  dat  ole  chap  nufin,  he 
leave  de  secesh  to  foot  de  bill,  while  he  footed 
up  de  hill  an  down  de  valley." 

"  But  how  did  you  get  away  ?" 

"  Wh}",  you  see  de  Union  soldiers  come  dare  one 
day  mighty  onexpected,  an  massa —  dat  is  to  say, 
him  dat  wus  my  massa,  —  took  a  mighty  skur,  an 
runs  like  a  wile  turkey  gobbler.  I  kind  o'  spect 
he's  gwien  yit ;  an  ef  de  good  Lord  please,  may 
de  Debil  help  'im  on!  He's  gwien  de  right  course." 

"  Which  way  did  he  travel  ?  " 

"  Right  straight  for  Arkansaw.  I'm  shore  de 
bad  place  a'n't  fur  from  dar.  Den  thinks  I,  ef 
massa's  gwien  Souf,  I'se  gwien  Norf,  an'  de  more 
miles  we  put  'tween  us  de  better." 

"  And  how  did  you  manage  to  find  out  where 
we  lived  ?  " 

"  You  see,  I  stops  las'  night  at  a  tavern,  an'  I 
overhurs  'em  talkin'  'bout  some  abolition  preach- 
er.    Den  I  'quires  ef  his  name  wur  Soufdown. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  255 

^I'blieve  dat's  what  da  call  de  rascal/  ray  de 
lan'lord.  Den,  thinks  I,  de  good  Lord  have  been 
guidiu'  my  poor  feet  de  right  way.  So  I  keeps 
on  'quirin'  till  I  fin's  you,  thank  de  Lor' 
A'mighty." 

"And  how  do  you  like  this  free  country, 
Uncle  Ned  ?  " 

''  Oh,  I  likes  de  country,  case  it's  de  land  ob 
freedom  ;  an'  I  likes  de  air ;  it  smack  ob  liberty, 
an'  smell  ob  de  blossoms  ob  freedom.  But  dis 
darky  kind  o'  don't  like  de  peoples  'bout  hur; 
da  ar'  too  much  like  de  white  trash  down  Souf 
Da  most  all  am  gwien  in  for  secesh.  One  gent- 
man  at  de  tavern  called  'em  copperheads.  Now, 
dat's  jist  de  bestest  name  I  knows  ob  for  dem. 
I's  'quainted  wid  dat  snake,  what  da  call  cop- 
perhead  ;  'tis  de  meanest  snake  dat  eber  crawled. 
Its  head  am  flat,  an'  jist  de  color  ob  a  new  cop- 
per cent.  An'  den  it's  so  sly  dat  you  neber  sees 
him  till  he  bites  you.  An  nuflfin's  pisiner  dan  de 
bite  ob  de  copperhead.  Now,  dese  ar'  secesh  in 
dis  land  ob  freedom  belonfji:  to  de  same  onenera- 
tion  ob  serpents.  An'  it's  mighty  easy  to  tell 
who  da  ar',  when   ye    gits    de    nack   ob    it.     I 


256  THE   STARS    AND    BARS  ; 

knows  dese  copperheads  politicianers  from  de 
wink  ob  de  eye.  All  dem  ar'  Kind  ob  men  what 
foUer  de  blackleg  business,  an'  hos-racin'  an' 
gittin'  drunkj  and  sich  like  thing,  am  de  copper- 
head', ebery  one  ob  dem." 

"  How  are  the  people  doing  at  Platte  City, 
Uncle  Ned  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Southdown. 

"  Da  ar'  all  gwien  to  de  Debil  fast  as  da  kin. 
De  slave-holders  am  allers  talkin'  'bout  dar 
rights ;  neber  mind ;  I  tells  ye,  da'll  git  dar  rights 
one  ob  dese  days,  when  de  Ole  Boy  flies  'way  wid 
'em.  Da'll  fin'  out  dat  ole  Hornie  hab  some 
rights,  too." 

"  It's  hard  to  tell.  Uncle  Ned,  what  will  be- 
come of  them,"  remarked  the  parson, 

"  I  s'pose  de  good  Book  don't  say  nuffin'  'bout 
dem ;  bu+  it  tells  what  come  ob  some  rebels  jist 
like  'em.  Da  say  dar  wus  a  rebellion  in  heben 
once.  De  secesh  angels,  widout  any  cause,  jist 
like  de  secesh  at  de  Souf,  not  bearin'  in  mind 
dat  da  had  all  dat  heart  could  wish,  an'  plenty 
ob  glory,  still  all  dat  didn't  satisfy  'em;  da  kicked 
up  a  muss,  jist  like  Souf  Carliner;  den  we  see 
what  follered  ;  da  wur  all  tumbled  out  ob  heben 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  257 

into  dat  deep  pit  what  hab  no  bottom.  Da  wur 
nine  days  fallin'  afore  da  reached  de  lake  ob  fire 
an'  brimstone.  Now,  dat's  what  come  ob  de 
fust  rebels,  Massa  Soufdown." 

•  •  •  •  •  •  • 

After  the  flower  of  the  country,  from  every 
section  throughout  the  State  of  Illinois,  had  left 
their  homes  to  give  their  lives,  if  need  be,  for 
the  life  of  the  nation,  the  disloval  men  of  the 
State,  finding  themselves  in  the  majority,  grew 
bold  in  their  treason,  and  ever  since  have  done 
all  within  their  power  to  hinder  the  putting 
down  of  the  rebellion. 

22* 


258 


THE  STAES  AND   BAES  ; 


CHAPTER    XX. 


"  Thoughts  shut  up  want  air, 
And  spoil  like  bales  unopened  to  the  sun.** 


H,  Mr.  Southdown/'  said  a  swag- 
gering politician^  while  in  con- 
^"*^  versation  with  the  parson  on  the 
state  of  the  country,  "  the  fli- 
natics  of  the  North  brouscht  on 
this  war.  Nobody  else  is  to 
blame." 

"And  do  you  state  that  for  a  fact,  Mr. 
Squib?" 

"  Of  course  I  do,  sir ;  a  notorious  fact." 
"  Did   the   fanatics   of  the   North  begin  the 
war?" 

"  They  began  the  agitation  of  the  slavery 
question,  which  led,  as  I  always  knew  it  would, 
to  civil  war.  The  fact  is,  sir,  the  South  has 
been  shamefully  imposed  upon;   the  rights  of 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  259 


the  slave-holder  have  been  disregarded.  The 
Southern  States  have  good  reason  for  breaking 
up  the  Union  and  throwing  off  the  iron  yoke 
of  the  old  Yankee  government." 

''  Such  being  not  only  your  own  sentiments, 
Mr.  Squib,  but  also  the  teaching  of  your  party, 
I  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention  to  a  few 
declarations  made  by  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
Vice  Pi"esident  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  on 
the  iioor  of  the  convention  called  to  vote  Geor- 
gia out  of  the  Union." 

"  What  care  I  for  what  Stephens  said  ?  " 

"He  is  a  Southern  man,  and  a  secessionist, 
and,  besides,  one  of  their  very  brightest,  best, 
and  most  influential  men.  His  opinions,  there- 
fore, touching  national  affairs,  and  especially 
Southern  rights,  ought  certainly  to  be  entitled 
to  some  Aveight." 

"  It  is  enouo-h  for  me  to  know  that  the  South- 
ern  States  have  been  robbed  of  their  rights,  and 
that  the  abolitionists  have  been  the  cause  of  the 
war." 

"  But  hear  what  this  Southern  statesman  says 
to  a  convention  of  slave-holders  :  — 


260  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

"^This  step  once  taken  can  never  be  recalled/ 
—  I  give  you  his  exact  words,  —  ^and  all  the 
baleful  and  withering  consequences  that  must 
follow  will  rest  on  the  convention  for  all  corainii: 
time. 

" '  When  we  and  our  posterity/  said  he  ^  shall 
see  our  lovely  South  desolated  by  the  demon 
of  war,  which  this  act  of  yours  will  inevitably 
call  forth,  when  our  green  fields  and  waving 
harvests  shall  be  trodden  down,  and  all  the  hor- 
rors and  desolations  of  civil  war  upon  us,  —  who 
but  this  convention  will  be  responsible  for  it? 
And  who  but  he  who.  shall  have  given  his  vote 
for  this  unwise  and  ill-timed  measure  shall  be 
held  to  strict  account  for  this  suicidal  act  by  the 
present  generation,  and  cursed  and  execrated 
by  posterity  for  all  coming  time  ? 

" '  Pause,  I  entreat  3^ou/  continued  he,  with 
all  the  energy  and  in  all  the  earnestness  of  his 
soul,  ^  and  consider,  for  a  moment,  what  reasons 
you  can  give  to  your  fellow-sufferers  in  the 
calamity  that  it  will  bring  upon  us  ?  What 
reason  can  you  give  to  the  nations  of  the  earth 
to  justify  it  ?     To  what  cause  can  you  point,  or 


Og,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  261 

what  single  overt  act  can  you  name,  on  which 
to  rest  the  plea  of  justification?  What  right 
has  the  North  assailed  ?  What  interest  of  the 
South  has  been  invaded?  What  justice  has 
been  denied  ?  And  what  claim,  founded  in  jus- 
tice and  right,  has  been  withheld  ? ' " 

"Well,  Avell,  what  did  all  tlmt  signify?"  de- 
manded the  politician,  contemptuously. 

"  A  great  deal,"  responded  Southdown  ;  "  and 
further,  said  Mr.  Stephens,  '  Can  either  of  you, 
to-day,  name  one  governmental  act  of  wrong, 
deliberately  and  purposely  done  by  the  gov- 
ernment at  Washington,  of  which  the  South 
has  a  right  to  complain?  I  challenge  the  an- 
swer ! ' " 

"If  I'd  been  there,  I  could  have  answered 
him,"  said  the  conceited  blockhead. 

"Then  you  could  have  done  more  than  any 
member  of  the  Georgia  convention  felt  compe- 
tent to  do ;  for  not  one  among  them  attempted 
to  answer  him,  notwithstanding  his  bold  chal- 
lenge. But  hear  him  still  further ;  I  have  a  dis- 
tinct recollection,  not  only  of  the  general  drift 
and  scope  of  his  argument,  but  also  of  his  very 


262  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  > 


words :  '  While  on  the  other  hand,'  said  he.  '  let 
nie  show  the  facts.  You  know,  gentlemen,  I 
am  not  here  the  advocate  of  the  North ;  but  I 
am  here  the  friend,- —  the  firm  friend  and  lover 
of  the  South ;  and  for  this  reason  I  speak  thus 
plainly,  uttering  only  words  of  truth  and  sober- 
ness. Let  me,  then,  state  a  few  facts  which  are 
clear  and  undeniable,  and  which  now  stand  as 
records  authentic  in  the  history  of  our  country. 

"^When  we  demanded  the  slave-trade,  or  the 
importation  of  Africans  for  the  cultivation  of 
our  lands,  did  they  not  yield  the  right  for 
twenty  years?  When  we  asked  and  demanded 
the  return  of  our  fugitive  slaves,  was  it  not 
granted  in  the  passage  of  the  fugitive  slave  law 
of  1850  ? 

"^Whatever  individuals  may  have  done,  the 
government  has  always  been  true  to  Southern 
interests.' " 

'•Ah,  but  he  wouldn't  say  that  now,"  re- 
marked the  politician,  ill-naturedly. 

'-  I  presume  not,  indeed,  for  he  has  since  been 
bought  over  to  secession.  The  offer  of  the 
Vice  Presidency  was   too   great   a   temptation. 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  263 

He  has  sold  himself  to  the  Devil,  just  as  all 
you  traitors  have." 

"  Intend  you  to  insult  me,  sir?" 

"The  honest  truth  should  insult  no  man. 
But  let  me  tell  you  something  more  of  what 
Mr.  Stephens  said  on  the  floor  of  the  Georgia 
convention. 

" '  Look/  said  he,  ^  at  another  fact :  when  we 
have  asked  that  more  territory  should  be  added, 
that  we  might  spread  the  institution  of  slavery, 
have  they  not  yielded  to  our  demands  in  giving 
us  Louisiana,  Florida,  and  Texas,  out  of  which 
four  States  have  been  carved,  and  ample  terri- 
tory for  four  more  to  be  added  in  due  time, 
if  you  by  this  mad  act  do  not  destroy  this 
hope,  and  perhaps  by  it,  lose  all,  and  have  your 
last  slave  wrenched  from  you  by  stern  military 
rule,  or  by  a  decree  of  universal  emancipation, 
which  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  follow?'" 

"Did  he  say  that?"  demanded  the  politician, 
looking  surprised. 

"  Such  were  his  words;  and  how  prophetic !  I 
must  give  you  still  more  of  his  language  :  — 

"'What  have  we  to  gain,'  said  he,  'by   this 


264  THE   STARS   AND   BARS  ; 

proposed  change  of  our  relation  to  the  general 
government?  AYe  have  always  had  the  con- 
trol of  it,  and  can  yet  if  we  remain  in  it  and  are 
as  united  as  we  have  been. 

" '  We  have  had  a  majority  of  the  presidents 
chosen  from  the  South,  as  well  as  the  control 
and  manasrement  of  most  of  those  chosen  from 
the  North.' 

''  In  making  these  declarations.  Mr.  Stephens 
but  stated  plain,  obvious  facts,  which  every  well- 
read  man  in  the  history  of  his  country  ought  to 
know." 

In  reply  to  this,  the  politician  commenced 
cur  sin  ST  the  abolitionists  and  euloo^izino*  the  in- 
stitution  of  slavery. 

"All  our  great  and  good  men,"  remarked  the 
parson,  "  have  uniformly  regarded  slavery  as  de- 
praving in  its  tendency;  calculated  to  blight 
the  heart  and  darken  the  mind.  I  remember 
,     Mr.  Jefferson  savs,  in  his  Notes  on  Yirg^inia  :  — 

" '  There  must,  doubtless,  be  an  unhappy  influ- 
ence on  the  manners  of  our  people,  j^roduced 
by  the  existence  of  slavery  among  us.  The 
whole  commerce  between  master  and  slave  is  a 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR.  265 

perpetual  exercise  of  the  most  boisterous  pas- 
sions, —  the  most  unrelenting  despotism,  on  the 
one  part,  and  degrading  submission  on  the  other. 
Our  children  see  this  and  learn  to  imitate  it. 
The  parent  storms  ;  the  child  looks  on,  catches 
the  lineaments  of  wrath,  puts  on  the  same  airs 
m  the  circle  of  smaller  slaves,  gives  a  loose  rein 
to  the  worst  passions,  and  thus  nursed,  edu- 
cated, and  daily  exercised  in  tyranny,  cannot 
but  be  stamped  by  it  with  odious  peculiarities. 
The  man  must  be  a  prodigy  who  can  retain  his 
manners  and  morals  undepraved  by  such  cir- 
cumstances,'" 

"  Poh !  poh ! "  said  the  politician.  "  Tom  Jef- 
ferson was  a  visionary  man ;  full  of  new  ideas 
and  strange  theories  that  nobody  but  himself 
ever  believed." 

"  As  to  the  vitiating  tendency  of  slavery,  Mr. 
Madison  was  of  the  same  opinion,  I  can  give 
you  his  language  upon  that  very  point, —  at  least, 
a  sentence :  — 

•^'Let  us  save  our  country,'  said  he,  'from  re- 
proaches, and  our  posterity  from  the  imbecility 
ever  attendant  on  a  country  filled  with  slaves.' 

23 


266  THE   STARS   AND    BAKS  ; 

"And  the  great-minded  Patrick  Henry  holds 
lanoruaore  still  strono;er :  — 

DO  O 

" '  Is  it  not  a  little  surprising/  says  he, '  that 
profes.^-ors  of  Christianity,  whose  chief  excellence 
consists  in  softening  the  human  heart,  in  cherish- 
ing and  improving  its  finer  feelings,  should  en- 
courage a  practice  so  totally  repugnant  to  the 
first  impressions  of  right  and  wrong  ? ' 

''  Washington  expressed  similar  opinions,  and 
evidently  was  fully  persuaded  in  his  ow^n  mind 
that  slavery  was  destined  to  be  speedily  abol- 
ished." 

"And  these  very  men  you  summon  as  wit- 
nesses against  slavery,  themselves  held  slaves." 

"Ah,  but  do  you  not  perceive  that  that  very 
circumstance  gives  the  more  weight  to  their  tes- 
timony? It  was  but  yesterday  I  heard  you 
say  that  the  rabid  Northern  abolitionists  would 
all  be  in  favor  of  slavery  if  they  owned  slaves. 
Their  testimony  has  no  w^eight  with  you  be- 
cause they  have  no  interest  in  the  institution. 
Jefferson,  Madison,  Henry,  and  Washington  are 
set  aside  by  you  because  they  had  an  interest 
in  the  institution.     The  sincerity  of  these  great 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  267 

statesmen  is  the  clearer,  since  their  testimony 
went  ai>:ainst  their  own  interest. 

"  Besides,  there  was  an  apology,  and  there  still 
is  an  apology,  for  a  good  man's  owning  slaves 
until  the  black  laws  are  changed  or  the  institu- 
tion abolished.  Both  the  Slave  States  and  a 
number  of  the  Free  States  have  laws  that  op- 
press and  work  great  injustice  to  free  blacks. 
Illinois  and  Indiana  are  sadly  disgraced  by  their 
black  laws. 

"  But  a  few  years  ago,  a  drunken  legislative 
body  in  Missouri  passed  an  act  reducing  to 
slavery  all  free  negroes  who  did  not  leave  the 
State  within  a  given  time.  It  was  known  to 
that  body,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  adjoining 
Free  States  had  laws  that  prohibited  free  colored 
people  from  coming  within  their  borders.  But 
for  the  magnanimity  of  the  then  governor  of 
Missouri,  who  vetoed  the  bill,  the  free  negroes 
of  the  State  would  have  had  no  alternative  but 
slavery. 

"  The  men  who  composed  that  legislative 
body  should  have  been  born  in  the  dark  ages, 
when  humanity  was  lost  in  brutality. 


268  THE   STARS   AND    BARS) 

"But  a  word  more  in  reference  to  the  insti- 
tution jou  so  much  admire.  Only  compare  the 
Northern  States  with  the  Southern.  How  strik- 
ing is  the  contrast  !  What  has  made  the  dif- 
ference ?  This  is  a  question  that  needs  no  an- 
swer. In  the  pestilential  atmosphere  of  slavery 
nothing  succeeds ;  progress  and  prosperity  are 
unknown ;  supineness  and  slothfulness  ensue  ; 
wretchedness  and  desolation  run  riot  throughout 
the  land,  and  an  aspect  of  most  melancholy  in- 
activity and  dilapidation  broods  over  every  city 
and  town ;  ignorance  and  prejudice  sit  enthroned 
over  the  minds  of  the  people ;  usurping  despots 
wield  the  sceptre  of  power ;  —  everywhere  and 
in  everything,  throughout  the  South,  the  multi- 
tudinous evils  of  slavery  are  apparent. 

"  Going  from  the  South  to  the  North,  we 
see  the  condemnation  of  slavery  written  upon 
everything,  —  improvements,  inventions,  and 
whatever  displays  enterprise,  taste,  genius;  — 
ay,  and  literature,  learning,  science,  and  phi- 
losophy, at  the  North,  all  rise  up  to  condemn 
slavery." 

But  the  parson  was   again  casting  ^eav\  be- 


OR,  THK    REIGN   OF  TERROR.  269 

fore  swine.  Words  of  truth  and  wisdom  are 
thrown  away  when  addressed  to  men  who  love 
falsehood  and  are  wedded  to  folly. 

How  little  the  politician  profited  by  the  rea- 
soning of  Piev.  Southdown  may  be  seen  in  the 
following  incident,  which  happened  but  a  few 
hours  after  his  conversation  with  the  parson :  — 

A  man  of  silvery  hair,  and  bearing  many  a 
scar,  had  just  returned  from  the  war.  He  sat 
with  his  head  bowed  in  sorrow,  and  leaning: 
upon  his  staff;  his  wife  and  children  w^ere  weep- 
ing around  him ;  for  he  had  brought  back,  not 
only  a  mutilated  body,  but  the  sad  intelligence 
that  his  youngest  son  had  fallen  in  battle. 

In  the  midst  of  this  touching  scene,  the  poli- 
tician came  in,  and,  abruptly  addressing  the 
weary,  heart-stricken  soldier,  said, — 

"  Well,  old  man,  you  are  back,  it  seems,  from 
the  abolition  war,  and  minus  an  arm  I  per- 
ceive, and  got  a  few  awkward  hacks  and  ugly 
scratches,  besides.  The  chivalry  must  have  been 
after  you  right  sharp  when  you  got  that  fright- 
ful gash  on  the  side  of  your  face.  Ha,  ha !  [ 
reckon  you're  beginning  to  find  out  that  fight- 

23* 


270  THE   STARS    AND    r>AR>5  ; 

ing  for  niggers  don't  pay.  And  I  understand 
you  got  one  of  your  boj^s  killed  down  there. 
Don't  you  think  you'd  both  been  better  off  at 
home,  eh  ?  " 

The  soldier  slowly  rai.^ed  his  drooping  head, 
wiped  the  tears  from  his  bronzed  and  furrowed 
cheek,  bent  a  look  of  proud  scorn  and  manly 
indignation  upon  the  pusillanimous  wretch  wdio 
stood  before  him  ;  then,  rising  deliberately  to 
his  feet,  said,  — 

"True,  sir,  I  have  lost  a  son  in  the  bloody  con- 
flict, and,  in  addition  to  receiving  many  wounds, 
have  lost  an  arm;  but,  rather  than  be  a 
traitor,  or  have  any  one  near  and  dear  to  me 
play  a  traitor's  part,  I  would  freely  lose  another 
arm  and  anotber  son,  and  be  covered  with 
wounds  and  bruises  from  the  crown  of  my  head 
to  the  soles  of  my  feet !  We  live  not  for  self 
alone  ;  we  owe  duties  to  God,  to  humanity,  and 
to  our  country;  we  owe  duties  to  posterity. 
This  war  is  not  for  the  present  generation  only; 
it  is  for  unborn  millions;  it  is  for  the  j^erpe- 
tuity  of  a  republican  form  of  government, 
the  perpetuity  of  our  free  institutions;  it  is  a 


OR,   THE  REIGN   OF   TERROR.  271 

war  against  despotism  and  oppression ;  it  is  a 
war  against  a  race  of  petty  tyrants  wh^  glory 
in  loading  with  chains  both  the  minds  and  the 
bodies  of  .men ;  it  is  a  war  for  the  upholding  of 
a  great  government,  and  the  suppression  of  the 
most  causeless  and  diabolical  rebellion  ever 
known  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  There  have 
been  justifiable  rebellions,  —  rebellions  against 
tyranny,  and  for  progress  and  liberty;  but  this 
is  a  rebellion  to  turn  the  tide  of  progress  back- 
ward, and  to  crush  the  very  spirit  of  liberty. 
"When  I  think  what  is  at  stake  in  this  war, 
and  consider  the  imperilled  condition  of  the 
government,  and  when  I  call  to  mind  the  sacri- 
fices that  loyal  men  are  making  for  their  coun- 
try, and  knowing  at  the  same  time,  as  I  do,  that 
the  struggle  is  being  prolonged,  the  war  pro- 
tracted, and  the  terrible  conflict  made  more  san- 
guinary, by  the  encouragement  which  disloyal 
men  here  at  home  are  giving  armed  traitors  at 
the  South,  —  when  I  iJdnJc  of  these  things,"  re- 
peated the  gray-haired  soldier,  while  the  fires  of 
true  patriotism  and  a  just  indignation  kindled 
in  his  noble  eye,  "  and  remember,"  continued  he, 


272  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

"what  toils  and  suffering  our  patriotic  brethren 
are  enduring,  separated  from  their  families  and 
homes,  and  constantly  in  the  midst  of  danger 
and  death,  and  then  listen  to  the  pratings  of 
such  contemptible  tories  as  you,  who  have  will- 
ingly done  nothing  for  your  country,  while  you 
enjoy  the  protection  of  its  laws,  I  must  confess 
it  stirs  my  blood,  —  at  least,  what  little  I  have 
left.  Thank  God,  I  have  one  arm  yet;  and  with 
that  I  perhaps  cannot  serve  my  country  better 
than  by  breaking  the  pate  of  a  copperhead ; " 
and  whack !  he  struck  the  intruder  with  his 
cane,  making  a  telling  impression  upon  a  skull 
which  arguments  had  been  hurled  at  in  Viiin. 
"  Take  that,  you  serpent ! "  said  he, — "  and  that ! 
you  vile  traitor!"  hitting  him  again,  —  "and 
that,  you  unhung  tory ! "  whacking  him  over 
the  head  a  third  time.  The  last  blow  brouo;ht 
the  impertinent  politician  to  the  floor,  lustilj 
crying  for  quarter. 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OF   TERROR. 


273 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


"  First  a  shadow,  then  a  sorrow 
Till  the  air  is  dark  with  anffuish." 


ELL,  parson,"  said  an  avowed  in- 
fidel to  Southdown,  -^  3^011  are  a 
believer  in  a  divine  providence ; 
tell  me  how  you  reconcile  your 
doctrine  with  this  war,  and  tl^e 
distress,  calamities,  and  blood- 
shed it  is  causing." 
"While  I  believe  in  a  divine  providence,  Mr. 
Dudley,"  replied  the  parson,  "  I  also  believe 
in  free  moral  ability ;  or,  in  other  words,  that 
man  is  a  free  agent,  having  power  to  do  good 
or  evil,  —  and  destined,  under  God's  overruling 
providence  to  take  the  consequences.  In  the 
abuse  of  their  free  ao;encv,  evil-minded  men 
have  brong-ht  this  .rn'oat  trouble  u]:>on  the  coun- 
try." 


274  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

'•  But  vrliy  did  not  God,  in  his  providence,  pre- 
vent the  dire  results  which  have  grown  out  of 
their  treasonable  acts?  ^Yitbout  interferins: 
with  their  free  agency,  could  he  not  have  turned 
aside  the  fatal  blow,  and  saved  us  from  bloody 
strife,  and  the  sunnj^  South  from  desolation  ?  " 

"  Unquestionably ;  but  we  must  take  into 
consideration  the  fact  that  we  had  become  a 
ver}^  wicked  nation,  —  and  besides,  that  we 
have  long  cherished,  and  still  are  fostering  in 
the  bosom  of  the  nation,  a  most  wickecl  insti- 
tution,—  a  system  of  injustice  and  oppression, 
which  is  utterly  incompatible  with  Christianity, 
and  a  vile  abomination  in  the  siQ:ht  of  God." 

"  Ah,  but  how  does  that  help  your  side  of  the 
question  ?  " 

"  Thus :  we  need  humbling ;  and  God  sees 
that  nothing  but  fearful  national  calamities, 
sorrow,  and  suffering,  will  answer  the  purpose, 
bring  down  our  pride  and  beget  a  spirit  of  re- 
pentance that  will  work  reformation.  There- 
fore, he  has  permitted  us  to  bring  upon  our- 
selves the  terrible  scourge  of  civil  war ;  and, 
while  vre  deserve  all  we  are  suffering,  and  ten- 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OP  TERROR.  275 

fold  more,  yet  I  doubt  not,  that  in  God's  prov- 
idence it  will  be  for  the  nation's  greatest  good 
in  the  end.  However  blind  we  may  be  to  it, 
future  generations  wdll  clearly  see  the  hand  of 
God  in  this  w^ar.  And  while  they  may  beclew 
with  tears  the  pages  of  history  that  shall  tell  of 
our  sujQferings,  yet  they  will  perceive  that  no 
milder  remedy  could  have  saved  us." 

"At  the  present  crisis,  there  appears  to  my 
mind  a  better  prospect  for  being  destroyed 
than  saved.  The  remedy  is  likely  to  be  worse 
than  the  malady." 

"  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart 
is  faiiit ;  there  is  no  soundness  in  the  nation. 
And,  worst  of  all,  we  are  unwilling  to  acknowl- 
edge the  desperate  state  we  are  in,  and  to  con- 
fess we  need  a  remedy.  Sordid  interest  stands 
in  the  way  of  justice  and  humanity ;  yet  man- 
ifestly Heaven  intends  that  oppression  shall 
cease  ;  and,  if  nothing  but  war  and  desolation 
can  break  the  tyrant's  power  and  strike  the 
chains  of  slavery  from  the  limbs  of  the  bond- 
man, why,  then  war  and  desolation  must  come." 

"  I  cannot  see  that  w^e  deserve  such  a  scourge, 
or  that  we  are  so  great  sinners  after  all." 


276  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

"No  nation,  perhaps,  has  been  blessed  I'ke 
onrs ',  and  none  has  been  more  ungi>.':efiil. 
Just  before  the  dark  and  stormy  night  of  dis- 
union and  civil  war  gathered  over  us,  we  were 
glorying  in  our  strength,  and  boasting  of  our 
wisdom,  wealth,  and  prosperity.  We  thought 
'  the  race  was  to  the  swift  and  the  battle  to  the 
strong ; '  and  we  had  forgotten  the  divine 
declaration,  '  Righteousness  exalte th  a  nation.' 
Contemning  the  weak,  and  despising  the  poor 
and  helpless,  we  delighted  in  tyranny,  cruelty, 
and  oppression.  Ignoring  the  higher  law,  and 
disregarding  Heaven's  plainest  mandates,  we 
trampled  down  truth,  justice,  and  mercy." 

"  In  these  respects,  have  we  been  worse  than 
other  nations  ?  " 

"  We  have  been  worse,  in  that  we  have  been 
more  highly  favored.  Looking  over  our  broad 
land,  contemplating  its  vastness  and  its  immense 
resources,  and  considering  the  rapid  strides  it 
had  made  and  was  making  in  wealth  and 
power,  —  surveying  its  rich  valleys  and  its 
golden  mountains,  its  fruitful  fields  and  its 
exhaustless  mines,  we  grew  proud,  haughty,  and 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  277 

unirrateful,  even  insolent  and  defiant.  We  al- 
most  ceased  to  fear  Grod  or  to  regard  man  ;  and 
said  in  our  '  hearts,  '  Who  shall  try  swords 
with  such  a  nation  as  this  ?  or,  who  presume  to 
measure  arms  with  these  United  State^^  ? '" 

"  I  grant  you.  we  have  been  too  boastful." 

"  Ay ;  pluming  ourselves  upon  national  greats 
ness,  we  dreamed  not  that  there  was  weakness 
in  our  strength.  Nor  remembered  the  prov- 
erb, ^A  haughty  spirit  goeth  before  a  fall' 
Heaven  ordains  that  the  high-headed  and  stiff- 
necked  shall  be  brought  low;  and  that  the 
pride  of  nations,  as  well  as  of  individuals,  shall 
be  humbled." 

"  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  American  people  are 
now  in  a  fair  way  to  experience  humility." 

"  Yes ;  she  that  boasteth  herself  '  the  queen  of 
the  world  and  the  child  of  the  skies'  is  des- 
tined to  come  down  and  sit  in  the  dust.  Al- 
ready, distraction  and  dismay  have  suddenly 
taken  the  place  of  peace  and  prosperity.  Our 
sun  went  down  at  noon;  and  an  appalUng  night 
is  now  upon  us,  —  an  almost  rayless,  moonless, 
starless,  night !     The  nation's  sky  is  overcast  by 

24 


278  THE  STAES   AND   BARS; 

tempest  clouds  of  fi'ightful  aspect,  through 
which  grim-visaged  War  with  desperate  fury 
drives  his  fiery  steeds  and  gory  chariot." 

"  Yet  how  hard  to  realize  that  it  is  so,  —  to 
reahze  that  war  is  raging,  and  that  bloody  bat- 
tles are  being  fought  in  our  own  country, —  our 
once  happ3^  countr}',  so  long  accustomed  to 
peace." 

"  True ;  it  almost  staggers  belief;  especially 
when  we  think  of  the  magnitude  and  extent  of 
the  conflict,  having  a  sweep  of  scarcely  less 
than  ten  thousand  miles.  Only  let  your  mind's 
eye  range  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  ensan- 
guined plains,  —  almost  the  entire  land  of  slar 
very  may  be  regarded  as  one  great  field  of  bat- 
tle. In  the  world's  history  such  a  battle-field 
never  before  was  known." 

"Alas !  what  desolation  is  beins;  wrouo^ht  ! 
Oh  the  blood  and  treasure  it  has  already  cost ! " 

"'Tis  fearful  to  think  of  But  that  it  is  so, 
why  should  we  marvel  ?  Is  •  there  not  a  God  of 
justice  ?  Can  we  be  surprised  at  his  righteous 
judgments  ?  Is  it  .strange  that  a  day  of  reckon- 
ing has  at  last  come  ?  " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  279 

"If  it  be  a  providence,  I  must  confess  that  to 
me  it  is  a  mysterious,  inexplicable  providence." 

"Why  should  we  marvel  that  the  Ahnighty, 
in  righteous  indignation,  has  allowed  the  wicked 
men,  whom  the  people,  in  their  blindness  and 
perverseness,  so  long  exalted  to  power,  to  kindle 
a  consuming  fire  in  the  bosom  of  the  nation  ?  " 

"  That  may  be  orthodox  theology,  but,  to  my 
mind,  it  is  utterly  incomprehensible." 

"  Just  Heaven  sometimes  makes  use  of  wicked 
men  to  scourge  the  wicked  " 

"  Why,  then,  is  it  not  done  in  all  cases,  and 
more  thoroughly  ? " 

"  God's  dealings  with  men  must  necessarily  be 
such  as  not  to  interfere  with  their  free  moral 
ability.  If  the  Almighty  governed  the  moral 
world  as  he  does  the  physical,  by  laws  of  force 
and  stern  necessity,  then  would  man  be  robbed 
of  his  most  exalted  attributes  and  highest  honor, 
—  free-will,  power  of  choice,  responsibihty  ;  he 
would  be  nothing  more  than  a  machine,  and  no 
more  accountable  for  his  conduct  than  the  riv- 
ers, the  tides,  the  winds,  the  clouds." 

"It  seems  to  me  that  finite,  erring  man  is  an 


280  THE  STARS    AND   BARS  ; 

object  of  pity  and  commiseration  rather  than  of 
•  blame  and  animadversion.  Pie  is  limited  in 
knowledge,  weak  in  his  faculties,  and  blinded  by 
his  passions.  Temptation  assails  him,  and  he  has 
no  power  to  resist  its  force ;  evil  comes  upon 
him,  and  he  foresees  it  not.  Who  is  wise  enough 
to  have  anticipated  our  present  trouble?  It 
came  like  the  sudden  bursting  of  a  tempest 
upon  the  land,  or  a  startling  thunder-peal  to  the 
unsheltered  traveller,  when  he  thought  the  sky 
was  clear." 

^•Ah,  but  not  exactly  so.  For  more  than  a 
generation  this  storm  was  brewing.  Low  mut- 
terings,  thunders,  were  long  heard  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  frowning  clouds,  for  years,  hung  darkly 
about  our  national  horizon ;  but  a  crooked  and 
perverse  generation  was  strangely  blind  and 
deaf  to  the  w  arning." 

"Perhaps  strangely,  but  not  culpably,  blind 
and  deaf?" 

"  Yes,  culpably ;  for  we  would  not  believe  our- 
selves in  danger,  though  sages  foretold  and 
statesmen  predicted — long  predicted  —  disaster 
to  the  country  and  the  coming  of  national  earth- 


OR,  THE    REIGN    Ui"  TKRftOR.  281 

quakes,  whirlwinds,  and   tempests.     It  was  only 
the  wilfully  and  stubbornly  blind  who  could  not  , 
see  years  ago  the  foreshadowing  of  our  present 
trouble  and  national  distress." 

"  To  be  sure,  we  have  had  political  prophets, 
fiuiatics,  and  alarmists,  but  we  believed  them 
not." 

"We  should  at  least  have  heeded  the  signs  of 
the  times,  paused  in  our  mad  career,  and  called 
upon  God  to  save  iis  from  our  national  sins.  But, 
'  On  with  the  dance ! '  said  a  million  voices ; 
^  let  joy  be  unconfined  ! '  President  and  cabinet, 
senators  and  representatives,  led  in  the  giddy 
whirl,  while  the  upper-ten  and  lower-million  fol- 
lowed in  their  wake.  Washington  City  spent 
the  day  and  shared  the  night  in  banqueting, 
revelry,  and  dissipation ;  ay,  and  in  vile  debauch 
and  lewd  wantonness." 

^'A  bad  set  they  were  there,  in  Pierce's  time 
and  through  Buchanan's  reign.  The  old  dotard, 
and  his  more  treacherous  predecessor,  committed 
sni  enough  to  damn  a  nation." 

"  Moral  pestilence,  as  well  as  physical,  is  con- 
tagious ;  almost  all  the  cities  in  the  land,  copy- 

24* 


282  The  stars  and  bars; 

ing  the  example  of  the  Federal  capital,  did,  nearly 
as  they  could,  the  same  things  that  ^Yere  done 
at  Washington.  For  many  years  prior,  and  up 
to  the  time  of  this  nightfall  upon  the  nation, 
we  have  had,  especially  in  political  circles  and 
amono^st  our  office-holders,  all  over  the  lenc^th 
and  breadth  of  the  land,  disgraceful  profligacy, 
miserable  demagoguism,  villanous  plots,  coffee- 
house caucusing,  wire-working,  trickery,  and 
secret  conclavQs,  where  conspiracies,  knavery, 
and  all  kinds  of  treasonrtble  schemes  and  dark 
desig^ns  have  been  carried  on." 

''I  fain  would  persuade  mj^self,  parson,  that 
your  imagination  has  colored  the  picture  ; 
yet  I  must  own  that  recent  developments  have 
proved  to  me  that  the  class  of  men  you  speak 
of,  and  especially  the  disloyal  wretches  who, 
while  in  office,  were  plotting  treason  against  the 
government  they  were  pretending  to  serve,  are 
even  worse  —  more  heartless  and  treacherous 
than  lano;uat!;e  can  describe." 

"  Besides,  among  such  men,  party  rancor  has 
known  no  bounds ;  truth  and  honesty  have  been 
laughed  at,  while  cunning  intrigue  and  shrewd 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  283 

rascality  were  praised.  Political  corruption  has 
been  rife ;  principle  accounted  Tnotliing ;  party, 
everything.  The  perpetual  aim  of  demagogues 
has  been  to  keep  the  political  furnace  red-hot, 
by  blo^Ying  the  bellows  of  party,  and  fanning 
the  flames  of  passion.  A  professional  politician 
cares  not  whose  house  gets  on  fire,  so  his  own 
pot  boils." 

"Alas  for  any  country  in  which  dishonesty  is 
rewarded  !  For  then  integrity,  truth,  and  vir- 
tue retire  in  disgust  from  the  public  walks  of 
life." 

"Ay ;  leaving  rogues  and  traitors  to  manage  the 
affairs  of  the  government.  And  I  must  own,  how- 
ever much  it  may  reflect  upon  my  own  profes- 
sion, that  dishonesty,  in  many  sections,  has 
been  scarcely  less  rewarded  in  Church  than  in 
State.  Hence,  time-serving  incumbents  of  the 
pulpit,  as  w^ell  as  office-seekers,  have  lent  them- 
selves to  the  cause  of  injustice,  aristocracy,  and 
oppression, 

"With  this  state  of  thing's  long*  existing;,  and 
constantly  growing  worse,  what  could  we  have 
expected?  —  what  but   that   our   national  sky 


284  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

would  gather  blackness  and  tempest,  and  pour 
down  upon  our  heads  a  deluge  of  wrath  ? 

"After  a  long  forbearance,  is  it  strange  that 
divine  vengeance  has  at  last  kindled  to  a  de- 
vouring flame  ?  Is  it  strange  that  fire  and  sword 
are  nov/  do'in'j:  their  fearful  work  of  slaug^hter 
and  devastation  in  the  fairest  portion  of  our 
guilty  land  ? 

"  Through  the  wicked  persistency  of  the  slave- 
driving  tyrants  who  inaugurated  civil  war  for 
the  purpose  of  augmenting  their  despotic  power, 
the  soil  of  every  slave-holding  State  has  already 
been  drenched  with  blood,  and  its  rivers  made  red 
by  the  purple  tide  of  the  slain.  And  still  the  din 
of  arms  is  heard  above  the  groans  of  the  dying 
and  the  wail  of  the  widow  and  the  orphan  ? 
While  the  nation  has  been  ripening  for  this 
dreadful  scourge,  while  sin  has  been  added  to 
sin,  iniquity  heaped  on  iniquity,  and  while  the 
enemies  of  the  Union  and  the  foes  of  freedom 
have  been  hatchino;  their  foul  treason  and  dia- 
bolical  conspiracies,  Zion's  watchmen,  as  well 
as  our  statesmen,  for  the  most  part,  have  slept  ! 
—  slept,  or  waking,  cried,  ^  Peace !  peace  !  when 
there  was  no  peace.' 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  285 

"True,  indeed,  a  few  faithful  men  there  A\ere, 
who,  lifting  up  their  voices,  cried  aloud  in  the 
ears  of  all  the  people,  warning  them  of  the 
coming  storm,  warning  them  of  the  nearness 
of  a  day  of  retribution  and  an  impending 
revelation  of  wrath  and  fiery  indignation  that 
should  sweep  as  a  wiiirlwind,  overwhelming  the 
proud,  the  wicked,  and  the  oppressor.  And 
these  true  and  faithful  men  were  bitterly  de- 
nounced as  false  prophets,  fanatics,  and  agitators, 
who  deserved  only  scorn,  derision,  persecution, 
or  the  gibbet ;  and  not  a  few  of  their  number, 
to  the  great  disgrace  of  our  boasted  Republic, 
died  martyrs  to  the  cause  of  freedom,  —  were 
cruelly  murdered  by  pro-slavery  mobs,  —  and 
the  government  winked  at  it.  Should  we,  there- 
fore, complain  when  the  vials  of  divine  wrath 
are  poured  out  upon  so  guilty  a  nation  ?  Can 
we  marvel  at  what  is  now  befaUing  that  portion 
of  this  great  country  desecrated  by  slavery,  and 
where  God  is  forgotten,  rehgion  made  a  mockery, 
and  humanity  outraged  ? 

"A  people  clinging  to  an  institution  which  is 
but  the  barbarous  relic  of  a  barbarous  age,  and 


286  THE  STARS  AND   BARS  : 


that,  in  spite  of  the  world's  progress,  and  in  the 
face  of  better  light  and  knowledge,  surely  de- 
serve the  judgments  and  calamities  that  wilful 
blindness  fails  not,  sooner  or  later,  to  bring. 

"  What  are  the  woes  which  the  slave-holders 
of  the  South  are  now  suffering, — what  the  terror 
and  despair  that  seize  upon  the  heartless  ty- 
rants, but  a  just  retribution  for  the  magnitude 
of  their  sins,  the  blackness  and  enormit}'  of  their 
crimes  ?  Profligacy,  licentiousness,  kidnapping, 
robbery,  mobocracy,  murder,  and  treason,  are 
meeting  with  their  appropriate  rewards.  The 
da}^  of  vengeance  —  of  terrible  vengeance  —  has 
come  !  Violence,  carnage,  and  death  wave  their 
black  banner  in  awful  triumph  where  the  slave, 
unpitied,  so  long  clanked  his  chains." 

"  It  seems  retribution,  indeed  !  Nor  can  I  say 
but  what  it  is  just." 

"Divine  justice  and  judgment  never  were 
more  clearly  seen  than  in  the  events  now  tran- 
spii^ing  in  the  Slave  States.  Only  look  at  the 
sunny  South,  and  see  what  is  happening  to  the 
haughty,  domineering  chivalry  of  Dixie  land  ! 
Wild  confusion,  dire  dismay  and  consternation, 
everywhere  reign.     Treachery,  distrust,  and  an- 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OF   TERROR.  287 

archy  prevail ;  and  starvation,  too,  will  soon  be 
at  the  threshold  of  the  nabob  as  well  as  at  the 
door  of  his  menial,  and  in  the  cabin  of  his  slave. 
Turn  which  way  they  will,  the  sword,  pestilence, 
and  famine  stare  the  pampered  chivalry  in  the 
face.  Multitudes  have  already  been  smitten 
with  iron  hail;  and  their  mangled  bodies  or 
bleaching  bones  lie  scattered  on  hill  and  vale. 
Their  fields  are  laid  waste ;  their  dwellings  dis- 
mantled, and  their  ill-gotten  gain,  through  un- 
paid toil,  has  taken  to  itself  wings  and  flown." 

"  If  the  judgments  of  Heaven  are  to  fall  upon 
the  Southern  slave-holder,  why  should  pro-slavery 
men  of  the  North  escape  ?  Their  principles  are 
the  same ;  they  give  countenance  to  the  insti- 
tution, and  by  their  votes  and  voices  help,  to  up- 
hold and  perpetuate  it." 

"  They  will  not  escape  ;  the  curse  of  God  is 
upon  them,  and  his  vengeance  will  sooner  or 
later  overtake  them.  In  fact,  they  are  already 
upon  the  rack,  writhing  under  the  mortification 
of  defeat  and  the  miscarriage  of  their  treasona- 
ble plots.  They  plainly  see,  that  unless  they 
can  break  up  the  government,  their  political 
graves  are  dug." 


288 


THE   STARS   AND   BAKS  1 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


"  'Mid  cries  and  clashing  arms,  there  came 
The  hollow  sound  of  rushing  flame  I  " 


T  was  in  Platte  City,  and  on  the  20tli 
of  August,  1863  ;  the  king  of  day 
was  dipping  behind  the  western  hills, 
while  his  yellow  locks  still  streamed 
out  upon  the  horizon,  burnishing  as 
with  gold  a  palace  of  clouds  that 
hung  in  gorgeous  splendor  about 
him.  At  that  hour  a  young  man,  with  pale  and 
thoughtful  face,  mio'ht  have  been  seen  on  the 
summit  of  a  green  hill,  a  little  way  south  of  the 
village,  poising  a  telescope,  and  looking  toward 
the  fast-declining  sun ;  by  his  side  stood  a  bright 
boy,  perhaps  somewhere  in  his  teens.  In  the 
valley  below,  as  the  evening  shades  drew  on.  a 
company  of  horsemen  made  their  appearance, 
and  halted  as  if  they  had  reached  an  appointed 
place  of  rendezvous.     At  the  same  time,  in  the 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OP  TERROR.  2Sd 

village,  hard  by,  there  was  hurrying  to  and  fro, 
and  with  a  slyness  of  movement  calculated  at 
once  to  awaken  curiosity  and  suspicion.  A  noise- 
less but  intense  excitement  prevailed  ;  men 
walked  stealthily,  and  talked  only  in  whispers ; 
while  women  sallied  f^ith,  ever  and  anon,  here 
and  there,  and  with  white  lips  and  trembling 
nerves  inquired  what  was  brewing.  They  were 
answered  by  mysterious  looks,  and  with  finger 
on  the  lip ;  for  a  deed  that  night  was  to  be 
done  they  dared  not  name  ;  ay,  —  such  a  deed, 
the  very  thought  of  which  might  turn  the  cheek 
of  darkness  pale, 

A  score  or  two  of  men,  armed  with  guns, 
bowie-knives,  and  revolvers,  in  a  very  fev/ 
minutes  w^re  mounted  and  movins:  off  like 
a  funeral  procession,  slowly  and  softly,  in  the 
direction  of  the  valley,  to  the  place  of  ren- 
dezvous. 

Many  citizens  stared  and  wondered  ;  others 
looked  wise,  gave  knowing  winks,  and  nodded 
their  heads  significantly. 

From  various  places  along  the  border,  similar 
bands  set  out  about  the  same  hour,  and  all,  con- 

2i 


290  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

verging  to  one  point,  came  together  at  midniglit 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  River,  where 
ample  preparations  had  been  made  for  a  speedy 
crossino;  into  Kansas. 

We  will  here  return,  for  a  space,  to  our 
astronomer  and  his  pupil,  whom  we  left  at  even- 
tide on  the  summit  of  the  green  hill  adjacent  to 
Platte  City.  The  sun,  which  had  made  a  golden 
set,  was  the  object  of  their  gaze  till  he  sunk  be- 
low the  horizon  and  disappeared.  Then,  watch- 
ing the  stars  as  thej^  came  out  one  by  one,  and 
pointing  their  telescope  to  various  quarters  of 
the  heavens,  they  viewed  several  of  the  planets 
and  some  of  the  fixed  stars. 

"Now,  Alonzo,"  said  the  astronomer,  "here, 
take  a  peep  at  Uranus  through  the  telescope,  — 
more  commonly  called  Herschel.  Tliis  planet 
was  discovered  in  1781  by  Dr.  William  Herschel. 
It  is  eighty  times  larger  than  the  earth." 

"  Eighty  times  the  size  of  this  world  we're  on, 
Mr.  Lioni  ? "  inquired  the  lad,  in  a  tone  of  sur- 
prise and  incredulity. 

"  Yes,  eighty  times." 

"  \Yhat  a  world  it  is ! " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  291 

"  Now  let  US  lower  the  instrument  a  little,  and 
take  a  view  of  Venus,  —  beautiful  Yenus,  —  the 
most  brilHant  of  all  the  planets,  and  the  second 
in  order  of  distance  from  the  sun.  There,  now, 
—  that's  a  charming  view."' 

"  Oh,  dear  !  It  looks  like  the  sun  itself,  Mr. 
Lioni." 

"It  is  very  bright.  Let  us  swing  round  a 
little  now,  and  get  a  ghmpse  of  Saturn  before 
that  fleecy  cloud  gets  over  it.  There's  a  Avorld 
for  you,  my  boy.  You  were  surprised  to  hear 
me  say  that  Herschel  was  eighty  times  larger 
than  the  earth ;  but  what  will  you  think  when 
I  tell  you  that  Saturn  is  a  thousand  times 
larg;er  ?  " 

"A  thousand  times  the  size  of  the  earth,  Mr. 
Lioni  ?  I  declare  !  Well,  well ;  I'm  getting 
out  of  conceit  with  this  little  world  of  ours.  Oh, 
I  see  that  great  belt,  that  glittering  ring  I've 
read  about ;  how  beautiful  it  looks ! " 

"  Do  you  see  any  moons  ?  " 

"  Moons  ?     Oh,  now  I  do  !     Two,  —  three  ! " 

"  There  are  eight ;  but  you  cannot  see  them 
all.     It  is  growing  somewhat  late,  and  the  air  is 


292  THE  STARS   AND   BABS  ; 

a  little  chilly ;  we'll  take  a  peep  at  Jupiter,  and 
let  that  suffice  for  tonight.  Jupiter  is  the 
largest  planet  in  the  solar  system.  It  would 
make  twelve  hundred  and  eighty  such  worlds  as 
this  we  inhabit." 

"That  almost  staggers  my  power  of  belief^ 
Mr.  Lioni.    Oh,  it  has  a  belt,  too !    That's  grand  1" 

"Do  you  see  any  moons ? " 

"  One,  — -  yes,  two." 

"  The  other  two  are  behind  the  planet." 

"  What's  the  rea:^on  our  world  couldn't  have 
had  a  few  more  moons,  Mr.  Lioni  ? " 

"Its  rank  amoni>:  worlds  is  not  of  sufficient 
importance.  The  Creator  has  given  us  one  more 
than  w^e  deserve,  at  any  rate." 

"Do  you  suppose  the  inhabitants  of  those 
great  and  beautiful  worlds  are  better  than  the 
people  here  on  this  little  planet  ? " 

"If  they  are  not,  some  huge  comet  ought  to 
dash  along,  and  knock  them  back  into  chaos." 

"  Do  you  think  this  world  will  ever  get  any 
better,  Mr.  Lioni  ?  " 

"  It  has  taken  a  spell  of  getting  worse  lately. 
Yet  I  believe  in  progress,  and  look   hopefully 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERJIOR.  293 

upon  humanity,  notwithstanding  the  vileness 
«i.nd  brutality  avg  have  seen  so  much  of  lately. 
The  heartless  rebels,  who  are  causing  so  much 
distress,  are  no  worse  in  principle  than  they 
were  in  times  of  peace ;  they  now  find  opportu- 
nity^ of  giving  full  play  to  the  savage  disposition 
within  them,  w^hich,  before,  w^as  only  held  in 
check  by  the  fear  of  punishment.  From  that 
class  we  have  nothing  to  hope.  Among  reason- 
ing men  the  car  of  progress  is  always  advan- 
cing;  but  the  unreflecting,  human  animals,  who 
are  governed  only  by  their  passions,  are  just 
where  the  vulgar  herd  were  a  thousand  years 
ago.  Outwardly  they  may  seem  superior  to  the 
barbarians  and  ignorant  herds  of  past  ages,  and 
to  be  in  advance  of  the  heathen  of  our  own 
time,'  but  inwardly  they  are  the  same,  the  very 
same.  The  wdld  Indian,  with  his  tomahawk  and 
scalping-knife,  never,  to  my  knowledge,  were 
guilty  of  anything  more  barbarous  than  what 
these  rebel  guerrillas  are  guilty  of  every  day. 
Yet  the  wretches  who  compose  our  guerrilla 
bands  are  called  civilized  men ;  and,  outw^ardly, 
as   to   form,  feature,  complexion,  and   apparel, 

25* 


294  THE  STARS   AXD   BABS  ; 

seem  to  be  such  ;  but  that  which  makes  a  man 
a  savage  is  within  him ;  and  we  can  only  tell 
what  is  \\Tithin  the  heart  and  mind  of  a  man  by 
]iis  acts.  By  this  rule  of  judgment,  we  must 
class  a  laree  number  of  our  fellow-citizens  with 
heathen.  Their  conduct  proves  them  unfit  to 
take  rank  even  among  ordinary  savages;  such 
deeds  as  they  commit  would  disgrace  the  most 
warlike  tribes  of  Indians.  This  ruffian  band  we 
saw  collecting  in  the  valley,  a  little  after  sun- 
down, I  doubt  not,  has  gone  on  a  marauding  ex- 
pedition. God  only  knows  how  many  innocent 
people  they  may  rob  or  murder  before  day- 
light. But  enough  of  this  now;  let  us  go  to 
our  respective  lodgings.  I  will  call  at  your  room 
to-morrow  morning  at  about  nine  o'clock,  and 
give  you  another  lesson  in  astronomy." 

"If  you  please." 

"I  have  nothing  now  to  do;  and  it's  some  re- 
lief to  my  mind,  these  distressing  times,  to  turn 
ciside  to  the  quiet,  peaceful  paths  of  science; 
and,  if  I  can  be  of  some  use  to  you,  my  time 
will  not  be  thrown  away." 

"I  shall  be  greatly  indebted  to  you,  Mr. 
Lioni." 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR. 


2 


95 


"  The  thought  that  I  have  been  of  some  help 
to  you  in  climbing  the  hill  of  science  will  amply 
reward  me  for  any  pains  I  may  take.  Good- 
night." 

"  Good-night,  Mr.  Lioni." 

About  the  time  the  banditti  crossed  into  Kan- 
sas, intelligence  reached  the  Union  troops  at 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  that  Quantrell,  with  near  a 
thousand  Border-ruflians,  w\as  marching  upon 
Lawrence,  intending  to  murder  the  inhabitants, 
pillage  and  burn  the  town,  and  then  proceed  to 
Baldwin  City  and  Prairie  City,  and  treat  them 
in  the  same  way. 

There  were  but  three  hundred  Union  soldiers 
at  Kansas  City  ;  but,  without  a  moment's  delay, 
or  the  least  hesitation,  they  mounted  their 
horses  and  set  out  for  Lawrence  with  all  possi- 
ble speed.  Among  these  three  hundred  were 
Adrian  Malvin,  Parson  Elmore,  und  Knicker- 
bocker. But  the  cut-throats  had  too  much  the 
start ;  the  soldiers  were  yet  thirteen  miles  from 
Lawrence,  when  they  saAV  the  nocturnal  heavens 
above  the  doomed  village  lighted  with  lurid 
flames. 


296  THE   STAES    AKD    BARS  ; 

This  exciting  scene,  together  with  the  thought 
of  the  terrible  massacre;  which  they  had  reason 
to  believe  was  going  on,  caused  them  to  urge 
on  their  jaded  horses  to  the  utmost  of  their 
speed.  Several  noble  animals  fell  dead,  under 
their  riders,  on  the  way.  Before  the  troops 
reached  the  burning  town,  the  fiends  had  done 
their  work  of  slaughter  and  robbery,  and  were 
on  their  way  to  Prairie  City,  robbing  and  burn- 
ing as  they  went.  The  pursuing  soldiers  were 
able  to  follow  in  their  track  by  the  light  of  the 
burnins;  buildino;s  the  miscreants  fired  on  their 
way.  Fortunately  for  Prairie  City,  Baldwin  City, 
and  other  towns,  which  the  vile  wretches  intend- 
ed serving  as  they  did  Lawrence,  the  troops 
overtook  and  gave  them  battle.  The  banditti, 
however,  stood  the  fire  of  the  brave  soldiers"  but 
a  few  minutes.  Leaving  some  twenty  of  their 
number  on  the  ground,  who  were  shot  from 
their  horses,  they  fled,  still  going  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Prairie  City.  It  was  now  daylight;  and, 
as  they  neared  the  town  they  next  expected  to 
sack  and  burn,  they  discovered  several  hundred 
armed  citizens  advancing  to  meet  them.    At  this 


OR,  THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


297 


they  were  seized  with  a  panic,  and  fled  in  every 
direction.     Many  of  them  failed  to  make  good 
their  escape  from  Kansas ;  and  those  that  suc- 
ceeded   in   re-crossing    the   river  were  pursued 
into  Missouri,  and  near  a  hundred  of  them  killed. 
What  a  scene  Lawrence  presented  next  morn- 
iuo-  to  the  flice  of  day  I  .  The  great  Free-State 
Hotel  showed,  among  its  smouldering  ruins,  em- 
bers, and   ashes,  many  charred  human  bodies, 
while  heaps  of  the  dead  lay  in   front  of   the 
smoking  pile  who  had  been  shot  while  making 
their  escape  from  the  burning  building.     Amid 
the  ashes  of  many  private  buildings,  also,  uncon- 
sumed  portions  of    human  bodies  v/ere  to   be 
seen,  while  dead  men  and  boys,  in  their  night- 
clothes,  lay  scattered  up  and  down  the  streets, 
and  over  the  Common,  in  every  direction. 

To  look  upon  this  horrid  scene,  and  to  see  the 
crowds  of  distracted  friends  and  relatives  hunt- 
in  o-  out  the  marred  and  mangled  forms  of  loved 
ones,  and  listen  to  the  wail  of  mothers,  sisters, 
wives,  and  children,  were  enough  to  move  a 
heart  of  stone. 

The   actors   in   this   shocking   massacre,   the 


298  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

monsters  who  perpetrated  the  heUish  crime,  had 
mostly  professed  loyalty,  and  passed  themselves 
at  home  for  Union  men  ;  and,  hesides,  had  gen- 
erally taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Fed- 
eral Government,  thereby  adding  perjury  and 
hypocrisy  to  barbarity  and  fiendish  cruelty. 


OR.   THE   REIGN  OF  TERROR. 


299 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 


"  'Tis  the  mind  that  makes  the  man." 


,OOD-MORNING,  Alonzo !  Now 
for  another  lesson  in  astrono- 
my," said  Lioni,  entering  the 
study  of  the  lad  who  had  spent 
a  portion  of  the  previous  night 
with  him  upon  the  green  hill 
viewing  the  planets  through  a 
telescope,  and  studying  the  laws  that  govern 
them. 

'  "  Good-morning,  Mr.  Lioni !  I  hope  you  didn't 
take  cold  last  night,  while  trying  to  put  new 
ideas  into  my  dull  brain." 

"  My  blood's  too  hot,  in  these  times  of  treason, 
violence,  and  foul  murder,  to  be  affected  by  a 
nipping  air." 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  from  the  banditti 
we  saw  rendezvous  in  the  valley  last  night  ?  " 


300  THE  STARS  AKD  BARS) 

"  Not  a  word  yet.  Indeed,  T  so  dread  to  hear, 
that  I  have  avoided  speaking  to  any  one  on  the 
street.  I'm  sure  we  are  soon  to  have  terrible 
tidinii:s  :  I  feel  it  all  over  me.  But  let  us  divert 
our  minds  from  this  painfid  subject,  and  talk 
about  astronomy." 

"  M}'  Uncle  Thaddeus,  from  the  country,  called 
on  me  a  little  while  this  morninor.  He  lamHis 
at  me  about  studying  astronomy ;  sa^ys  it's  all 
ridiculous  nonsense  ! " 

"  Oh,  ho  !  poor  old  man !  he'll  never  break  his 
neck  climbino;  amon<>:st  the  stars,  I  dare  sav." 

"  He  says, '  What's  the  use  of  it  ? '  " 

"Poll!  a  silly  question.  What's  the  use  of 
anything  ?  We  may  as  well  ask,  ^That's  the  use 
of  thinking?  What's  the  use  of  living?  AVhat's 
the  use  of  aspiring  to  aught  above  a  brute?" 

"  He  says  if  there  are  any  other  worlds  than 
this,  they  are  too  far  off  to  do  us  any  good." 

"I  imagine  lie  could  take  no  interest  in  a 
world  that's  not  likely  to  grow  cabbage  and  po- 
tatoes for  his  own  special  benefit. 

"  Whatever  elevates  and  happifies  man,  is  of 
use,  Alonzo.    The  study  of  astronomy  exalts  and 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  301 

sublimates  oar  tliouglits  ;  enlarges,  brightens, 
and  invigorates  our  minds.  Besides,  while  we 
gaze  on  the  broad  page  of  astronomical  glory, 
we  cannot  but  be  iaipressed  with  a  sense  of  the 
majesty,  the  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the 
great  Creator.  While  the  study  of  astronomy 
unfolds  the  mind,  it  enlarges,  chastens,  and  pu- 
rities the  heart;  makes  us  unsellish,  promotes 
magnanimity  of  soul,  and  inspires  generous  and 
delicious  sentiments.  None  but  a  supremely 
selfish  man  wants  to  believe  that  the  world  he 
inhabits  is  the  chief  part  of  creation  and  the 
centre  of  the  universe,  and  that  the  sun,  moon, 
and  stars  were  created  only  for  him  and  his 
race.  Yet  there  are  plenty  of  such  men ;  they 
have  no  thought,  care,  nor  sympathy  for  any- 
thing outside  of  themselves  and  the  narrow 
circle  in  which  they  move.  We  see  this  exem- 
plified right  here  in  our  midst ;  the  people  of 
Platte  City  think  the  cackle  of  their  berg  the 
bustle  of  the  world  !  For  them  the  earth  stands, 
the  sun  shines, rises,  and  sets;  for  them  the  stars 
twinkle,  and  for  them  the  Almighty  sits  upon 
the  throne  of  the  universe  night  and  day." 

26 


302  THE   STARS    AKD    BARS  ; 

"  That  makes  me  think  of  Elder  Snooks's 
prayer,  Mr.  Lioni;  he  always  prays  as  if  he 
thought  everything  was  made  for  him." 

"No  doubt  he  corisiders  himself  the  but-end 
of  all  that  God  has  made.  The  flea  in  his  stock- 
ing might  with  much  more  reason  say,  This  man 
was  made  for  me.  Parson  Snooks's  great  won- 
der is,  that  the  sun  doesn't  stand  still  when  he 
preaches.  \Yhen  I  heard  him,  —  a  sin  I've  been 
guilty  of  but  once, —  it  seemed  to  me  the  sun  of 
his  knowledge  w^as  standing  still,  if  not  going 
back  a  little." 

"I've  not  heard  him  often,  except  at  a  dis- 
tance.    He's  gifted  with  a  loud  voice." 

"  So  is  your  donkey.  But,  to  change  the  sub- 
ject, let  me  say  to  you,  Alonzo,  education  makes 
as  much  difference  between  men  as  Nature  has 
made  between  a  man  and  a  beast ;  even  more. 
I  have  seen  do2:s  that  evinced  more  considera- 
tion,  more  refinement,  more  tenderness  and  af- 
fection, than  many  men." 

"  But  are  there  not  educated  men,  Mr.  Lioni, 
who  are  very  wicked  ?  " 

"Undeniably;  but  when  I  speak  of  the  dif- 


OR,   THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR.  303 

ference  that  education  makes  between  men,  I  do 
not  mean  intellectual  attainments  merely ;  it  is 
indispensable  that  moral  culture  and  the  educa- 
tion  of  the  heart  should  be  looked  after.  In  the 
true  sense  of  education,  Alonzo,  you  will  some- 
times meet  with  men  that  cannot  read,  who  are 
better  educated  than  many  of  our  scientific 
men.  Not  only  better  educated  morally,  but 
better  educated  intellectually ;  they  reason  more 
clearly,  think  more  profoundly,  comprehend  prin- 
ciples and  the  various  relations  of  things  more 
readily.  They  have  learned  to  exercise  a  com- 
mon sense  which  anticipates  the  logic  of  the 
schools .  I  could  tell  you  of  slaves  who  have  a 
much  clearer  perception  of.  moral  principles  and 
moral  oblia'ation  than  some  of  our  learned  di- 
vines.  So  you  see,  I  mean  by  education  the  un- 
folding, brightening,  and  invigorating  of  our 
faculties,  no  matter  how  or  where  it  is  done,  or 
whether  with  the  aid  of  books  and  teachers  or 
without  them." 

"I  now  understand  3'Ou.  Men  may  have 
learning  without  being  thinkers." 

"  That  is  the  great  trouble ;  men  do  not  think 


304  THE  STARS  AND  BARS; 

enough,  nor  do  they  feel  enough.  Acti\  ity  of 
thought  and  feeling  intensifies  life,  and  enhances 
the  value  of  existence.  Does  that  man  truly 
]jve  whose  heart  and  brain  have  the  nightmare? 
What  to  him  is  existence  ?  Little  better  than  a 
melancholy  blank.  What  to  him  are  the  charms 
of  science,  the  beauties  and  sublimities  of  na- 
ture, the  glories  of  creation  ?  To  such  men  life 
lias  no  significance,  the  universe  no  meaning. 
Ah,  but  this  is  not  our  lesson  in  astronomy." 

"  No  matter,  Mr.  Lioni ;  I  like  to  hear  you 
talk  on  this  subject  of  thinking." 

^•'Well,  then,I  will  dwell  upon  it  a  little  longer; 
and  let  me  impress  you,  Alonzo,  especially,  with 
the  importance  of  mental  industry  and  activity. 
While  indolence  weakens  the  intellect, it  strenu:th- 
ons  the  passions ;  while  it  undermines  vu^tue,  it 
oonerates  vice.  The  uncultured  soul,  like  un- 
ploughed  fields,  brings  forth  that  only  which  is 
vile,  noxious,  and  unseemly.  Inactivity  cankers 
the  mind,  corrodes  the  heart,  darkens  and  de- 
praves all  the  powers  of  the  soul;  while  industry 
and  habitual  exertion  burnish  the  intellect,  illu- 
min3  the  heart,  vivify  the  affections,  and  invig- 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  305 

orate  the  entire  energies  of  our  diviner  nature. 
Let  nie  illustrate  the  thought  I  wish  to  fasten 
upon  3'ou  hy  a  figure  :  you  have  seen  the  stag- 
nant pool  covered  with  its  slimy  scum,  which 
constantly  breathes  forth  miasma  to  laden  every 
passing  breeze  vv^ith  disease,  pestilence,  and  death ; 
you  have  also  seen  the  crystal  brook,  whose 
pure,  bright  waters  go  dancing  merrily  over  beds 
of  white  pebble  ;  you  instinctively  loathe  the 
stagnant  pool,  but  delight  to  look  upon  the  crys- 
tal brook.  The  former,  being  pent  up,  generates 
noxious  vapors,  and  becomes  the  abode  of  veno- 
mous reptiles ;  the  latter,  full  of  activity,  and 
leaping  along  its  winding-way,  is  rendered  pure, 
healthful,  musical,  and  beautiful.  Do  you  get 
my  idea  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  the  idle  mind  is  the  stagnant  pool." 

"  Ay ;  in  which  vice  hatches  its  miserable 
brood.     The  active  spirit "  — 

"  Is  the  crystal  brook." 

"Ay ;  gliding  sweetly  and  cheerily  over  the 
golden  sands  of  life,  reflecting  celestial  beauty, 
and  pouring  the  light  of  joy  on  all  sides  round." 

26* 


306  THE  STARS   AND   BARS; 


"  I  like  figures  and  comparisons ;  they  make 
"vivicl  and  lasting  impressions  on  my  mind." 

^'  Let  me  then  amplify  a  little,  in  your  favor- 
ite style,  since  you  like  it.  We  will  compare  a 
turbid,  slui^-o-ish  stream  with  the  boundino^,  whirl- 
ing,  foaming  cascade.  The  former  has  no  charm 
for  your  eye,  is  altogether  unbeautiful  and  un- 
attractive. But  how  enchantino;  the  latter  !  — 
rippling,  gurgling  to  the  brink,  then,  with  a 
mighty  leap,  flinging  its  wild  waves  upon  the 
silvery  air  to  whiten  in  the  wind." 

"Ah,  I  see  ! " 

"  The  turbid,  sluggish  stream  is  a  fit  type  of 
the  unthinking  brain  and  unfeeling  heart;  while 
the  sublime  cascade,  no  less  appropriately,  typi- 
fies the  active,  energetic  mind,  busy  thought, 
and  the  stirring,  bounding  soul." 

"I  see." 

"Again  ;  compare  the  dark  waters  of  the  Dead 
Sea  with  the  rushincr  thunderino-  cataract  of  Ni- 
agara.  The  former  presents  a  melancholy  pic- 
ture of  death  and  desolation  ;  the  latter  you 
gaze  upon  with  ravished  eyes  and  profoundest 
emotions  of  sublimity  as  it  pours  its  eternal  wa- 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  307 

ters,  ^vitll  resistless  force,from  stupendous  heights, 
adown  friglitful  steeps,  dashing  against  trembling 
rocks,  turning  dark  huge  waves  to  snow-white, 
feathery  foam  and  clouds  of  winged  spray  that 
glitter  in  the  sunlight  with  the  inimitable  hues 
of  the  rainbow.  Now,  there  are  human  minds 
that,  hke  the  Dead  vie'^,  present  only  a  dismal 
picture  of  moral  darkness  and  desolation  ;  while 
others  remind  you,  in  the  might  and  majesty  of 
their  career,  of  that  wonder  in  nature,  the  cata- 
ract of  Niagara,  whose  bold,  sweeping,  booming, 
torrent  awes  creation  round  with  its  gigantic 
leap,  deep-toned  thunder,  and  earthquake-en- 
ergy.'' 

"  Oh,  I  see !  " 

"And  what  makes  the  striking  difference  be- 
tween the  Dead  Sea  and  Niagara  Falls  ?  " 

"Activity." 

"  Yes  ;  motion,  friction,  velocity.  What  makes 
the  difference  between  the  minds  of  men  ?" 

"Activity." 

"  Yes  ;  action,  energy,  intensity.  The  proper 
and  legitiuiate  exercise  of  the  mind  develops 
strength,  gives  power  and  elasticity.      Besides, 


308  TTIi:  STAES   AXD   BARS; 

action  refines  and  beautifies  in  mind  as  well  as 
in  matter." 

"  I  shall  try  to  hold  on  to  that  idea,  and  make 
it  profitable  to  me." 

"  Let  me  illustrate  yet  further :  take  a  lump 
of  gold  from  the  mine ;  it  is  a  shapeless  mass, 
and  has  but  little  beauty  to  the  eye  ;  but  now 
see  it  in  the  hands  of  the  goldsmith,  and  watch 
the  process  of  melting  and  working  it;  his  fire 
and  hammer  directly  change  that  shapeless  mass 
to  a  glittering  chain  that  is  to  encircle  and 
adorn  the  neck  of  beauty.  What  a  transforma- 
tion !  A  yet  greater  and  more  wonderful  trans- 
formation may,  by  proper  influences  and  right 
appliances,  be  wrought  on  the  human  mind  and 
heart." 

'^That  gives  me  better  light  on  the  subject 
still." 

"Just  one  more  illustration,  and  I'll  wind  up. 
Take  the  rough  diamond  from  its  dark  bed  ;  it 
has  to  your  eye  but  little  indication  of  possess- 
ing qualities  that  give  it  rare  value ;  but  only 
wait  till  it  is  shaped  and  polished  —  what  a 
polish  !     Now  see  it  sparkle  on  the  bosom  of 


OR,   THE    REIGN   OP   TERROR.  309 

beauty,  you  begin  to  appreciate  its  qualities 
and  estimate  its  worth.  The  undeveloped  mind 
is  the  rough  diamond,  whose  value  does  not  yet 
appear;  but  wait  till  education  does  its  work; 
wait  until  the  bright  images  of  truth,  virtue,  and 
religion  are  engraven  on  the  tablets  of  the  mind 
and  heart,  then  see  how  the  soul  will  shine ! " 

"  Now  we're  going  to  be  interrupted  ;  yonder 
comes  Parson  Loniz-flice." 

"  Prodigious  !  Well,  we  may  make  up  our 
minds  to  be  bored  without  mercy,  or  else  treat 
him  uncivillj^  He's-  the  man  who  owns  that 
crazy  negro  woman,  isn't  he  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  he  sold  her  child  —  a  little,  bright,  yel- 
low bo}^  —  to  a  man  v/ho  lived  in  Alabama,  and 
she  went  deranged  about  it.  He  treats  her  now 
very  cruelly,  they  say." 

"  Yet  he  pretends  to  be  a  minister  ! " 

A  rap  at  the  door  now  called  Alonzo  to  his 
ieet,  who  coolly  invited  the  clergyman  in  and 
offered  him  a  seat.  Lioni  frigidly  bowed  with- 
out rising. 

"  I  am  round  collecting  money  for  the  Bible 
cause,  and  for  missionary  purposes,"  remarked 


310  THE   STARS   AND    BAES  ! 


Parson  Longface,  gravely,  and  in  long-clravrn, 
solemn  tones. 

"  I  profess,  parson,"  responded  Lioni,  "  to  be  a 
friend  to  both  the  causes  you  mention ;  and 
have  ever  esteemed  it  a  privilege  to  contribute 
something  to  aid  in  the  good  work  of  circulating 
the  Scriptures  among  the  destitute  in  our  own 
country,  and  of  sending  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen  in  foreign  lands ;  but  when  solicited  by 
you  to  contribute,  either  to  the  missionary  or  Bi- 
ble cause,  I  find  a  serious  difficulty  in  the  way," 

'-  How  can  that  be  ? " 

"While  you  profess  to  believe  it  necessary 
for  men  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  order  to  ob- 
tain a  knowledge  of  the  way  of  life  and  salva- 
tion, you  at  the  same  time  favor  a  system  which 
deprives  a  large  class  of  down-trodden  people  at 
home  of  the  privilege  of  reading  the  ^Yord  of 
God." 

"  You  mean  the  slaves,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  mean  the  ignored  and  unfortunate 
race  among  us,  whom  we  are  so  careful  to  keep 
in  ignorance  " 

'^  Surelv  I  had  nothino:  to  do  in  makinp^  the 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  311 

laws  that  prohibit  them  from  being  taught  to 
read." 

"Are  you  not  the  man  who  entered  complaint, 
at  the  last  term  of  our  circuit  court,  against  one 
of  our  cleverest  citizens,  for  teaching  his  slaves 
to  read  the  Bible  ?  " 

"  He  was  violating  the  law." 

"And  are  you  as  careful  to  see  that  violations 
of  the  law  are  punished  in  other  cases  ?  One  of 
your  neighbors,  and  a  member  of  your  church, 
recently,  w4iile  in  a  passion,  mutilated  one  of  his 
slaves  in  a  most  shocking  manner,  and  in  pal- 
pable violation  of  the  law;  yet  no  one  thinks 
of  entering  complaint  against  him.  That,  I 
imagine,  is  not  reckoned  so  serious  ^in  offence 
against  the  dignity  of  the  law." 

"If  slaves  were  taught  to  read  the  Bible,  why, 
then,  they  could  read  other  books,  too,  and  you 
know  that  wouldn't  do.  Everybody  can  see 
that  it  is  dangerous  to  enlighten  slaves." 

"Ah ;  yet  you  are  going  round  begging  money 
to  enlighten  the  far-off  heathen.  '  Oh,  consistency, 
thou  art  a  jewel ! '" 

"I  haven't  come  for  argument,  but  for  help  in 


312  THE   STARS   AND    BARS  ; 

the  cause  of  sending  the  Bible  to  the  destitute, 
and  the  gospel  to  the  heathen." 

^'  I  will  no  more  be  guilty  of  the  inconsistency 
of  putting  monej^  for  such  a  purpose  into  the 
hands  of  men  whose  acts  give  the  lie  to  their 
professions.  In  your  missionary  speeches  you 
tell  us  of  the  degraded  condition  of  the  heathen  ; 
you  talk  of  the  polygamy  and  other  vices  prac- 
tised amongst  them ;  you  mention  their  wars, 
their  barbarity,  and  their  ignorance ;  and  from  this 
state  of  depravity  you  propose  to  redeem  them 
if  we  will  but  furnish  the  funds.  How  can  we 
believe  you  sincere  in  your  professions  of  pity 
for  the  heathen  you  have  never  seen,  when  there 
are  four  millions  of  benighted  beings  in  your 
own  country  no  less  degraded,  for  whom  you 
manifest  no  concern  ?  Worse  than  that :  from 
these  four  millions  you  are  careful  to  with- 
hold the  means  and  opportunity  of  enlighten- 
ment and  elevation.  And  how  much  worse  is 
polygamy  than  a  certain  vice  which  is  common 
in  this  countr}^,  and  which  your  slaves  are  en- 
couraged if  not  compelled  to  practise  ?  And 
do  you  not  teach  and  often  force  them  to  disre- 
gard their  marriage  vows  ?  " 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  313 


"I  am  not  here  to  discuss  subjects  of  that 
sort." 

"  If  you  are  laboring  to  promote  the  cause  of 
missions,  you  should  by  no  means  overlook  the 
considerations  to  which  I  am  calling  your  at- 
tention. To  show  the  degraded  condition  of  the 
heathen,  you  lay  great  stress  on  their  habit  of 
selling  their  captives  taken  in  battle.  Is  it  any 
better  to  sell  persons  who  have  never  been  at 
war  with  you  ?  Regardless  of  parental  and 
filial  ties  as  well  as  of  marriage  vows,  you  sell 
parent  or  child,  husband  or  wife,  brother  or  sis- 
ter, and  even  mothers  from  their  tender  babes ; 
and  not  a  few  of  you  sell  your  own  children 
when  the  mother  happens  to  be  a  slave.  Slave- 
holders do  things  that  would  bring  a  blush  of 
shame  to  the  cheek  of  a  decent  savage." 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  I  see  your  drift.  With  half  an 
eye,  it's  easy  to  see  that  you're  an  abolitionist." 

''  Call  me  what  you  choose ;  I  will  show  you 
your  inconsistency.  Another  thing :  while  you 
profess  to  be  shocked  at  the  warlike  disposition 
of  the  heathen,  you,  as  well  as  other  pro-slavery 
preachers,  urged  the  organization  of  the  guer- 

27 


314  THE   STARS   A^'D    BARS  J 

rilla  bands,  here  in  our  midst,  who  are  now  rob- 
bing and  murdering  loyal  citizens  all  over  the 
country." 

"  I  hope  they'll  soon  put  a  rope  round  3^0 ur 
neck,  you  Black  Republican  abolitionist."  Say- 
ing: which,  Parson  Long-face  made  lono;  strides  to- 
ward  the  door,  looking  back  as  he  went,  evi- 
dently a  little  suspicious  that  Lioni's  boot  might 
follow  him. 

"The  borer  got  bored  this  time,"  remarked 
Alonzo,  as  soon  as  the  parson  was  out  of  hearing. 

"  Well,  my  dear  boy,  our  lesson  in  astronomy 
is  not  likely  to  amount  to  much,  this  morning." 

"  I  must  tell  3'Ou  a  dream  I  had  just  before  I 
awoke  this  morning,  Mr.  Lioni,  which  seems  to 
have  been  caused  by  my  looking  at  the  stars  so 
long  last  night.  Yet  a  part  of  the  dream  ap- 
pears to  have  originated  in  the  serious  reflec- 
tions I've  lately  had  about  the  slaves  my  bache- 
lor uncle  willed  me  at  his  death.  I've  been 
trying  some  time  to  persuade  myself  that  it 
would  be  no  sin  to  sell  them  and  put  the  money 
in  my  pocket;  jet  I've  had  some  scruples  of 
conscience  about  it." 


OR,   THE   REIGN  OP  TERROR.  315 


^^  I'm  in  hopes  then  your  dream  had  a  whole- 
some moral  to  it." 

^'Methought  that  beautiful  planet,  Saturn, 
which  you  told  me  was  a  thousand  times  as 
lari]re  as  the  earth,  came  whirlinsi;  throujj^h  the 
vast  regions  of  space  toward  our  planet  till  it 
seemed  to  fill  the  whole  heavens.  You  and  I 
were  together,  looking  alternately  through  the 
telescope'  at  the  great  planet  while  it  rapidly 
approximated  our  globe,  and  could  distinctly 
see,  not  only  towns  and  cities  on  its  surface,  but 
also  their  inhabitants.  Near  us  stood  father  and 
mother,  and  my  little  sister  and  brother.  The 
mulatto  boy  my  uncle  willed  to  me  was  also  in 
the  group.  You  said  a  collision  of  the  two 
worlds  was  inevitable.  Then  methou!2:ht  we 
were  greatly  alarmed,  and  made  sure  doomsday 
had  come.  The  thousiht  of  beino;  crushed  to 
atoms  between  two  worlds  petrified  me  almost ; 
but  you  consoled  us  all  by  sajdng  that  such  a 
death  was  to  be  coveted  in  preference  to  being 
butchered  by  the  cut-throat  guerrillas ;  and  then 
you  mentioned,  as  an  additional  consolation,  that 
the  wicked  rebels  would  all  be  caui»:ht  under 
the  dcad-fall." 


316  THE  STARS   AM)   BAES  : 

"  Ha !  ha !  1  was  vastly  comforting  in  my 
suggestions." 

"  You  had  scarce  clone  speaking,  ^vhen  the 
earth  began  to  tremble;  and  the  sun,  which  was 
almost  down,  suddenly  rolled  back  up  the  heav- 
ens. '  Here  we  go,'  said  you ;  '  the  earth  has 
forsaken  its  orbit,  and  we  are  going  in  a  straight 
ime  toward  Saturn.'  Directly,  the  sun  disap- 
peared ;  but,  for  the  loss  of  his  light,  we  were 
more  than  compensated  by  the  splendor  of 
Saturn's  rino-s." 

''  I  ahnostf  envy  you  the  luxury  of  such  a 
dream,  Alonzo." 

"  Oh,  but  I  was  in  the  utmost  terror  all  the 
while ;  3'et  the  grandeur  of  the  scene  impressed 
me  deeply.  At  last  the  collision  came ;  but 
very  unaccountably,  and  to  our  joyful  surprise, 
the  planets  came  softly  in  contact,  almost  with- 
out a  jar.  Methought  the  outer  ring  and  tall 
mountains  of  Saturn  prevented  the  bodies  of 
the  globes  from  coming  in  close  contact." 

"A  verv  fortunate  circumstance  ! " 

"  It  gave  me  great  relief,  I  assure  you.  Then, 
while  we    stood    gazing  and  wondermg,  lo !    a 


OR,  THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  317 

great    air-sliip,  grandly   constructed^   and    with 
wings  as  white  as  a  swan's,  and  of  vast  dimen- 
sions, came  ghding  out  from  Satuvn,  and  ahght- 
ed  close  by  where  wo  Vv^ere  standing.     To  our 
still  greater   astonislnnent,  a  bevy   of   angelic- 
looking  beings  sallied  forth  from  the  aerial  ship 
and  surrounded  us.      They  were  so  exceedingly 
beautiful,  and   arrayed  in   such   splendid   attire 
that  we  had  no  fear  of  them.     While  in  ecstasies 
of  admiration,  and  almost  ready  to  worship  the 
celestial  beings,  as  they  seemed,  they  all  at  once 
closed  in  and  made  us-  prisoners." 
"  Now  you  were  in  trouble  again." 
"Binding  us  with  strong  cords,  they  put  us 
on  board  the  ship  and  sailed  off.     By  and  by,  we 
found  ourselves  in  thfe  midst  of  a  splendid  city, 
the  like  of  which  I  had  never  before  conceived. 
We  w^ere  unbound,  and  brought  out  of  the  ship  to 
be  gazed  upon  by  the  inhabitants.   What  crowds 
gathered  about  us! — and  oh, what  beautiful  wo- 
men  I  saw^ !    Their  forms  were  elegant ;  features 
symmetrical  and  finely  moulded ;    and  oh,  what 
complexions!  —  skin  wdiite  as  snow;  lips  ruby; 
eyes  a  clear  sky-blue ;    cheeks  damask  and  deli- 


318  THE   STABS  AND   BARS; 

cately  tinted  as  the  peach-blossom ;  and  their  ap- 
parel was  of  the  most  brilliant  tissue.  Both  males 
and  females  appeared  vastly  superior  to  our  race, 
not  only  physically,  but  likewise  mentally.  It 
took  them  but  a  tew  moments  to  comprehend  and 
speak  our  language." 

"  You  must  have  ielt  a  spirit  of  adoration  for 
such  superior  beings." 

"  Alas !  all  my  enthusiasm  over  their  angelic 
appearance  soon  oozed  out  at  the  ends  of  my 
lingers  and  toes ;  for  it  directly  became  evident 
that  our  kidnappers  intended  to  sell  us  for 
slaves" 

'aiorriblel" 

"  Indeed,  I've  hardly  recovered  yet  from  the 
terrible  sensations  I  had  while  standins:  on  the 
block  to  be  sold  into  perpetual  slavery." 

"  Ho,  ho !  you  now  have  some  idea  how  a 
poor  darky  feels  when  he's  snatched  awviy 
from  his  native  coimtry  and  sold  into  liopeless 
bondao-e." 

"  One  at  a  time  we  were  compelled,  methought, 
to  stand  on  a  block  till  knocked  off  to  the  hisrh- 
est  bidder.     The  rascals  felt  of  my  muscles  and 


OR,   THE   REIGN   OF  TERROR.  319 


exauiinecl  my  limbs  to  determine  how  much  hard 
work  I  was  able  to  endure.  They  opened  my 
mouth,  looked  at  my  teeth,  punched  m^e  in  the 
ribs,  palled  my  ears,  twitched  my  nose,  and  hit 
me  with  their  canes  to  see  how  sprightly  I  could 
move  round;  and  what  a  deal  of  fun  they  made 
over  my  clumsy  gait  and  swarthy  complexion ! 
But  I  stood  it  all  like  a  philosopher  till  they 
put  my  mother  on  the  block  and  treated  her  in 
the  same  manner;  then,  methought,  my  blood 
boiled  like  lava  in  the  heart  of  Vesuvius  !" 

"No  wonder.  Oh,  what  a  fearful  dream  you 
had  !  And  how  thankful  you  felt,  when  on 
waking  you  found  it  but  a  dream  !  But  how 
many  poor  black  men  have  passed  through  simi- 
lar scenes, —  and  that  without  the  joy  of  waking 
to  find  it  all  a  dream." 

" '  Have  you  no  regard,'  said  I,  '  for  the  prin- 
ciples of  justice?  \Ye  have  wronged  you  not; 
how  can  you  thus  deprive  us  of  liberty  and 
make  us  your  slaves?  Surely  your  hearts  are 
not  made  of  stone  ;  you  will  yet  be  moved  by 
a  touch  of  pity,  if  not  a  sense  of  justice,  and  set 
us  at  liberty.     Oh,  ye  noble  sons  of  Saturn,  it  is 


320  THE   STABS    AND    BARS  I 


impossible  3^011  should  delight  in  oppression  and 
remorselessly  trample  on  our  rights  to  liberty 
and  the  pur&uit  of  happiness.'  'Men  of  your 
complexion/  replied  he,  Miave  no  rights  which 
the  fixir-skinned  inhabitants  of  Saturn  are  bound 
to  respect.  Instead  of  complaining  of  your  lot, 
you  ought  to  be  profoundl}^  thankful  for  having 
been  brought  from  the  dark,  degraded  condition, 
and  the  miserable  world  in  which  you  were  born, 
to  such  a  sphere  as  this.  Your  race  is  always 
at  war,  and  take  a  diabolical  delight  in  torment- 
ing, butchering,  and  devouring  one  another.  Be- 
sides, your  natural  inferiority  gives  us  the  un- 
doubted right  to  make  slaves  of  3'ou.  This  yel- 
low man  by  your  side  was  a  slave  to  you  until 
3'Ou  yourself  became  a  slave.  Is  he  further 
below  you  than  you  are  below  me  ?  The  differ- 
ence between  your  color  and  his  is  very  slight, 
while  the  contrast  between  my  complexion  and 
yours  is  very  great.  If  you  had  the  right  to 
make  a  slave  of  him  on  the  ground  of  color,  or 
upon  the  plea  of  inferiority  of  form  or  feature, 
or  of  intellect,  then,  on  an}'  or  all  of  these 
grounds  I  have  the  right  to  make  a  slave  of 
you.'" 


OB,   THE   REIGN   OF   TERROR.  321 

"  He  rather  had  you  there,  Alonzo.  How  did 
jou  reply  to  that  ?  " 

"  Said  I/He  was  not  kidnapped  as  I  have  been.' 

*  Ah,  but  his  ancestors  were/  rephed  he;  ^your 
descendants,  too,  will  be  slaves  without  having  • 
been  kidnapped.  If  his  ancestors  were  wrongly 
enslaved,  then  has  he  been  wrongly  enslaved.' 
^But  I  had  nothing  to  do,'  said  I,  'in  first  intro- 
ducing slavery.'     '  Neither  had  I,'  returned  he  ; 

*  the  kidnappers  brought  you  here,  and  I've  paid 
my  money  for  you  ;  feo  you  see  nothing  can  be 
more  p^ain  than  that  I  am  your  rightful  owner, 
and  that  you  are  justly  my  property.'" 

"  There  he  had  you  again.  And  how  did  you 
get  round  that  ?  " 

"My  conscience  so  condemned  me,  I  could 
make  no  answer ;  but  only  begged  that,  though 
doomed  to  hopeless  servitude,  we  might  not  be 
separated  so  as  to  be  entirely  deprived  of  each 
other's  society." 

"And  what  said  he,  then?" 

" '  The  interests  of  the  master,'  he  coolly  re- 
sponded, '  and  not  of  the  slave,  must  be  con- 
sulted as  to  that.'  And  there  I  was  confounded 
again  ;  for  I  remembered  that  was  my  father's 


322  JHE   STARS   AXD    BARS  ] 

creed,  and  the  doctrine  of  slave-holders  gener- 
ally. I,  too,  had  imbibed  the  same  sentiment  to 
some  extent.  How  I  wondered  that  I  never  be- 
fore had  seen  the  palpable  injustice  of  it." 
►  ^^'Ah,  it  was  then  brought  home  to  you,  and 
A'Ou  saw  it  in  a  new  llLcht.  How  difficult  it  is 
for  us  to  learn  that  Christian  precept  of  doing 
unto  others  as  we'd  have  them  do  unto  us." 

"  Methought  our  masters  allowed  us  a  few  mo- 
ments only  to  embrace  and  take  final  leave  of 
one  another.  The  parting  scene  threw  me  into 
such  an  agony  of  mind  I  instantlj'  awok?." 

x\t  this  moment  a  nei«;hbor  came  runnini!;  in 
to  tell  the  terrible  news  of  the  massacre  at  Law- 
rence ;  whereupon  Lioni  and  Alonzo  rushed  out 
upon  the  street  where  a  crowd  was  gathering 
round  a  few  of  the  returned  banditti.  Dr.  Puff 
and  Skedaddle  mixed  in  the  throng,  and  were 
jubilant  over  the  burning  of  Lawrence  and  the 
murder  of  the  inhabitants.  The  cut-throats  be- 
gan to  express  some  fear  of  being  pursued  by 
Jim  Lane,  and  the  possibility'  that  their  com- 
panions, who  lingered  behind,  had  been  over- 
taken by  the  avengers  of  blood.  At  this  juncture 
the  stragglers,  of  whom  they  were  just  speak- 


OR,    THE    CEKiN    OF   TERROR.  323 

ing,  came  into  tov\  n  under  whip  and  spur,  with 
a  detachment  of  Lane's  men  led  by  Knicker- 
bocker, hard  after  them. 

"Remarkable!"  cried  SkedaddJe,  and,  wheel- 
ing about,  trusted  once  more  to  his  legs.  Dr. 
PuiF,  no  less  terrified,  followed  in  his  w^ake ;  but, 
having  more  bee£  to  carry,  failed  to  keep  up  with 
the  slim-shanked,  lean-ribbed  Skedaddle.  They 
fled  in  the  same  direction  with  the  flying  ban- 
ditti. The  Union  troops  loaded  and  fired  as  they 
went,  brino^in<>'  down  tw^o  or  three  of  the  cut- 
throats  every  round.  0 vertaking  Dr.  Puff,  Knick- 
erbocker couldn't  resist  the  temptation  of  stick- 
ing his  bayonet  in  his  back  for  old  acquaintance' 
sake.  The  Dr.  bellowed  lustily,  but  on  rode 
Knickerbocker,  still  pursuing  and  shooting  at  the 
banditti.  A  few  jumps  brought  him  alongside 
the  other  excited  nabob ;  of  course,  he  felt  in 
duty  bound  to  pay  his  respects  to  him,  also ;  a 
quick  and  vigorous  thrust  with  the  bayonet  cut 
short  the  half-uttered  '-  Remarkable  ! " 

Knickerbocker  is  confident  there  are  two  trai- 
tors less  in  Platte  County  besides  the  thinning 
out  of  the  cut-throats,  in  which  he  and  his  de- 


324  THE   STARS    AND   BAES. 

tacluiieiit  did  a  thriving  business  the  day  after 
the  Lawrence  mas.^acre. 

^'Alonzo,  my  brain  is  on  fire! "  said  Lioni;  ''my 
blood  is  boiling  in  my  veins !  The  thought  —  oh, 
the  terrible  thought — of  that  massacre  at  Law- 
rence ! " 

"I  hope  these  soldiers  will  get  the  last  one  of 
the  fiends  that  did  it/'  responded  the  lad. 

••^But  Missouri  is  full  of  just  such  men,  if  men 
they  may  be  called.  My  mind  is  now  made  up  to 
join  the  army?  ^nd,  if  need  be,  spill  my  last  drop 
of  blood  m  defence  of  the  Union,  and  in  sweep- 
ing from  the  face  of  the  earth  these  lawless  des- 
peradoes.    And  I  will  go  at  once." 

"  So  soon  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  right  away.  Alonzo,  I  may  see  you 
no  more  !  —  God  bless  you  !  —  Farewell !  Let 
your  aim  be  high,  your  purpose  noble  ;  live  for 
heaX^en,  for  your  country,  and  for  humanity. 

"  Remember,  — 

'  We  live  in  deed,'*,  not  yeai*s,  —  in  thoughts,  not  breaths; 
In  feelings,  —  not  in  figures  on  a  dial. 
We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.    He  most  lives 
Who  thinks  mo?t,  feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best.'" 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wilmer 
653 


